Existence
by Virginia I
Summary: Ever wonder about what happens in all those scenes you don't see in the episodes? Join Jean as she paves her own path behind the scenes in the Doctor Who universe. Original content and an interesting view of DW from a unique OC. Starts after 'Journey's End' S4
1. Chapter 1

Jean did not know where she was. She could not feel her body, not one sensation from any of her extremities reached her confused and frightened mind. It seemed as if all her senses had fled her when she had been deposited where ever she was. She could not feel, see, hear or even taste or smell.

She knew she was conscious though. Her mind was alive and awake despite her separation from the physical realm of feeling. She likened it to being on the verge of falling asleep. That plane of thought where a human is nearly in the land of Morpheus but not there by the smallest of consciousness.

That was where she usually got her best thinking done, where her brightest and most complex thoughts resided and that fact was the only thing keeping her from collapsing into complete madness and insanity.

...

With time Jean forgot about feeling. Forgot that she had once had a body. She became a consciousness, only living as thought and emotion in the nothingness that was her existence. Her previous life nearly forgotten if not for vague perceptions that she wasn't always within the nothingness. Her thought processes now too complex for a mere human to understand.

Jean had essentially adapted and evolved into a higher plane of consciousness. She was content with her existence.

Until she was no longer in the nothingness.

...

It all started with a sense of wrongness fluttering over her mind. Barely there but still nudging her consciousness. The wrongness grew and grew and grew until it surrounded her, stabbing painfully into her mind. She could do nothing as she had done nothing for an indeterminable amount of time.

Pain was a sensation she had not felt in an eternity and she did not know how to react to it. So she ignored it as best she could and tried to return to her state of contentment. She slightly succeeded but it remained with her, tucked away in another part of her vast consciousness, ignored but still there.

Time passed and another sensation fluttered over her or rather passed through whatever she was. Time and time again something passed through her. She had the definite thought it was searching for something. This feeling continued for quite a long time until it also became ignored to some degree.

Jean's time in the nothingness ended as it started: with her frightened and confused, on the verge of panic.

One moment she is existing in her content state and the next she is experiencing something she has not experienced in an eternity: physical feeling.

And it is utterly, consumingly painful.

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	2. Chapter 2

The Doctor was having a very bad day. Then again what day wasn't a bad day when Daleks show up.

First he can't find the Earth, then he gets shot, then he gets to witness his companions at their best and worst, not forgeting Davros goading him with a vile speech. To top it all off he had a chance to reunite with the human who helped heal some of the scars left by The Time War and then is forced to return her to that blasted parallel universe because when fate wants to give him a bad day she piles it on until he can hardly stand it anymore.

He is going to carry the anger and guilt from this escapade for a long while yet. Donna... He stops that thought before it can continue.

Leaning against the center console the Doctor can hardly move for the emotions clouding his mind. To see all his latest companions at the same time then the events that proceeded saving the universe. He just can't get a happy ending can he?

The Doctor snorts bitterly, of course not. The day everything ends with everyone happy the universe would probably implode knowing his luck. Turning away from the console he decides he's overdue some much needed sleep.

The Doctor walks out of the console room into the adjacent hallways heading for his bedroom. A hot shower to scrub off the grime, ashes and dead Dalek make him refreshed enough to relax on his bed for some meditation . Clearing his mind of chaotic emotions enough to fall asleep nearly an hour later.

He is abruptly shoved into the waking world by the TARDIS blaring an alarm throughout his bedroom. Jolting out of bed and dashing out of his room toward the console room without bothering to change from his sleepware.

He skids to a halt on entering the console room when he notices a body haphazardly crumpled on the grating near the doors. It's laying on its side facing the TARDIS' exit doors. Not taking his eyes off the intruder currently collapsed on the console room's grating floor he moves to shut off the annoyingly loud alarm.

The Doctor immediately begins to contemplate how this person came to be inside the TARDIS. It could be any number of things but never before has someone or thing appeared while unconscious or dead out of no where.

Pulling out his sonic screwdriver from the top pocket of his jim-jams he scans the body which still hasn't moved.

'Well, whoever you are you're still alive.' He states to himself after checking for a heartbeat.

Continuining his scan on wider parameters his eyebrows rise in surprise at the shear amount of Void Energies detected. 'That's impossible!' He mutters in disbelief. Rerunning the scan and achieving the same results again.

He eyes the form with some trepidation. Whatever this was it most certainly was dangerous. It didn't seem to be moving from its unconscious needs to decide if he want to move closer for an examination or to continue his scans from a safe distance at the console.

Curiousity getting the better of him, the Doctor moves to crouch beside the still form.

On closer inspection he notes it is female. He's not sure of the species his sonic defined her as unknown but she is humanoid in appearance. Her hair is a dark blonde boardering on brown, cut very short. It reminds him of his previous incarnations haircut in length. He can't see her face from where he's crouching so he decides to roll her over onto her back.

The second he touches her skin the woman's eyes snap open and she releases a long pain filled scream of agony.

'Whoa there!' he shouts. Shocked by the sudden noise.

He hops back in surprise staring wide eyed at the screaming naked woman. Her screams continued until her body settled onto her back. She stops moving eyes wide but unseeing. The Doctor decides to refrain from touching her until he knows more about what is afflicting her.

'Looks like some sort of a coma,' he mumbles to himself while scanning her, 'Blimely look at that brain activity! You are definitely in there arnt you? Now what is making you feel pain when touched...'

The Doctor continued to mumble to himself as he scans and assesses this alien who has appeared in his thought sent his magnificent mind out in different directions to find out how she came to be there in the first place.

He would find out later, there was a comatose being in front of him that felt pain with physical touch and he wasn't sure how to get her to the medbay without causing her more pain. He couldn't treat a naked female in his console room that would be proposterous!

There was better scanning equipment in the medical bay, anyway.

'Alright!' he stated, now talking to the comatose body before him.

'I'm sorry. This is going to hurt a lot but I can't think of another way to move you that doesn't involve a transmat. Even that might be detrimental as I don't know what is causing your pain.' He knelt down and as gently as he could gathered up the woman into his arms and started carrying her toward the medical bay.

Her screams continued until he settled her on a scanning bed. Eyes open but unseeing at the ceiling.

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	3. Chapter 3

Whatever was happening to her, she did not like it. Not at all!

From her perpetual state of content to this all encompassing world of pure feeling. It was not pain but an overload to her senses. She had not felt or seen anything with her physical body for an unknown eternity and the consequences of that happening were now bearing down on her like a out of control freight train.

Jean wanted the feeling to stop! Return her to the nothingness! She gained comfort from the nothingness. This new place frightened and confused her with things she has not felt in so, so long.

Part of her new aquianted body was pressing into a latuswork of something hard. Her reconnected nerves screaming at her that she now had a physical form. Being so new to these sensations she did not know how to categorize what was touching what. Mind completely awake and trying to tell her what was going on but failing as the stimulus was too much. She just did nothing but let her mind work as she had always done.

Then came the noise. A loud blaring, bashing into her ear drums and ritcoheting around her brain. If she knew how she would be screaming in pain. The loud noise did not last long and a softer noise came after varying in pitch and intensity. The softer noise was much preferred to the pain encouraged by the other. With the soft noise she felt a vibration though the air and then an alternating vibration through the hard latuswork pressed against her body.

Whatever she was laying on stopped vibrating and her mind became soothed by the presence of another mind nearby. This mind was vast, old, and so very sad that she wished to comfort it.

Reaching out with her consciousness to offer some sort of support to the suffering mind beside she encountered another mind protecting the sad one. A beautiful mind filled with so much knowledge and filled with time.

She brushed up against the beautiful one's mind and felt a distinct female presence. Offering a telepathic 'Hello, I mean you no harm. Who are you?'

The response she got was a jumble of emotions and thoughts which she found hard to translate until she changed her own thought pattern to enough to comprehend.

She received the equivalent of a telepathic start of surprise, a cautious greeting and an inquiry of identity.

Opening her mind with a feeling of welcome and explanation. She allowed the beautiful one to enter and explore.

The beautiful one was just as curious about Jean, as Jean was of her.

After politely waiting for an invitation to explore the beautiful one's mind she received an invitation with a note of caution attached saying, 'Just the areas I lead you too.'

Heeding the warning, the beautiful one showed Jean what was happening and apologized for her Thief's soon to happen actions. She offered to give Jean some knowledge of what was happening to her and extended an offer for future communications.

Jean accepted with a response of gratitude and thanks.

Having made a new friend and gaining the basic knowledge of the this new physical realm she found herself in. Jean retreated from the newly named TARDIS' mind and turned her mental attention back to who she now knew as the Time Lord known as The Doctor.

Just as she did this The Doctor reached over and touched her.

The sensations overwhelmed her mind with pain but this time her body responded by snapping her eyes open to the blinding realm of sight and reacting without her input by screaming vocally in pain. Jean willed herself to not process what her eyes transmitted to her brain too focused on the sound that overwhelmed her other senses.

The body was reacting on instinct and she had no control over her physical actions.

Once her body settled onto the latuswork beneath the screaming died down but her eyes refused to close on her command. She did not yet know how to tell her body what to do.

Her mind burned with the new information in the vision center of her brain. After the nothingness, the world around her was a fantasticly terrifying and strange place.

Somewhere deep her mind said she had once belonged to this world but it had been so long ago that she barely remembered.

With the knowledge relayed to her by the TARDIS, she understood the colors and shapes of what she was witnessing and Jean reined in her fright and panic.

Examining the ceiling before her eyes she telepathically complimented the TARDIS on a beautiful physical form as well as a beautiful consciousness.

Jean received a mental thank you and return compliment.

The Doctor was speaking to her with vocal communication. Although she did not understand the noises from his mouth his mind was directing an apology in her direction for the pain he was about to cause her. She caught the underlying reason why he was about to cause her pain and immediately forgave him. He was trying to take care of her and there was no other way.

Bracing herself mentally for the agony she was about to be put though Jean reached out mentally to the TARDIS for support.

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	4. Chapter 4

After settling the woman down on the medical scanning bed the Doctor took a moment to analyze her outer appearance. Her blue-grey eyes were still open and staring at nothing. The facial features were nothing extraordinary. He saw no alien ridges or appendages to indicate her species. Her figure was slim with slight curves and he estimated her height to be around 170 cm (5' 7").

Outward appearance indicated she was human but that didn't mean much when the same could be said of himself. He was sure the medical body scan would reveal more.

Stepping back and moving over to the scanner controls the Doctor once again started talking to the comatose woman. 'I'm going to run a deep body scan to find out your species. Its been a long time since the TARDIS hasn't been able to figure out something like this! Also going to run some brain analyzers. My sonic screwdriver picked up a lot of activity. I'm not sure if that's normal for you but just to be safe I'm going to run them. Let's see if I can figure out what's wrong with you!'

He hits the activation button on the scanner and stands back and watches the bed the woman lays on spring into action. It sprouts a long circular arm from underneath the bed beside her feet which begins to scan her body. Another attachment comes out above her head and settles in to scan her brain.

The woman doesn't react and still remains unresponsive to anything other than physical touch.

Deciding that she isn't going anywhere the Doctor explains out loud, 'I'm going to leave you here for a bit. Doesn't look like you're going to be moving around anytime soon but just in case I am going to lock the door behind me,' he throws his thumb over his shoulder indicating the door, 'These scans can take awhile and I'm still in my jim-jams!'

He sets an alarm on the door in case the woman reacts negatively to anything. He leaves the parameters of what is negative to the TARDIS and steps out of the medbay to get himself some breakfast, a shower and a change of clothes.

...

While eating his breakfast in the kitchen (banana included) he mulls over how she could have appeared in the TARDIS. When Donna... he stops that thought to save himself from his own anguish.

Was it Huon Particles? Then why was she practically swimming in Void Stuff? Maybe the TARDIS had picked up a stray transmat and rerouted it to the console room? Some sort of spacial anomoly? Is she part of a plot to kill him? He's seen stranger things in his long life. Throwing an injured person in his path and them later turning out to be an assassin has happened before.

Whatever odd occurance got her here he was going to remain cautious.

...

Walking into the med bay in his usual attire with hair still slightly damp from his shower the Doctor notices the woman has closed her eyes sometime between him leaving and returning.

At that moment she appeared to be sleeping.

He moved to the scanning bed's monitor to see the results and immediately choked on some air. Coughing harshly he turned to the woman and managed to get out, 'You're a level 5 telepath!' Her brain scan was off the scale.

Telepaths have been classified in six different degrees: Level 0 is a being without telepathy. Level 1 is low level empathy and intuition. Level 2 is high level empathy and intuition. Level 3 is touch telepathy or short range. Level 4 is long range telepathy and invasive mental probing. Level 5 is known as cosmic telepathy, without scale.

Humans usually are level 0 or 1 with a small number of level 2 have innate empathy and a driving instinct.

Gallefreyans are level 3 and slightly 4 with their telepathic field connecting them all together.

Level 4's are almost all classified as hive mind species.

The only known level 5's are The TARDIS and a very small number of Eternals and both of those are mysteries to scientists. 5's are hard to classify because any machines that can calculate a telepaths power only go to a certain range. If the range is achieved and passed whoever is being scanned is automatically labeled as a level 5 telepath.

The Doctor felt himself fall onto a nearby chair. His mind whirling with possiblities. This woman was probably an Eternal and he had never had good encounters with their kind. Always manipulating him and his companions with their schemes. She appeared to be in a coma though, was that even an ailment that could affect an Eternal?

A mental nudge alerted him to the TARDIS trying to gain his attention.

The Old Girl was sending him a telepathic pat on the head and telling him to calm down, all was alright.

He sent her, 'Why?' and her response was an image of the scanning monitor. He got the point and turned to read the rest of the scan results.

The results were just as interesting as her brain scan. Her body was infused with the energies that existed in the void and her bodily structure was most certainly not as human as her outside appearance.

She had a singular heart which was 20 percent larger than a normal human female of her size. The alveoli in her lungs processed oxygen at such a high rate she could probably survive for extend periods of time in low oxygen atmospheres. There appeared to be two organs of unknown use in her abdominal area but judging by the large amount of Void Energy around these organs they most likely either generated or processed the Void Stuff. She would be extremely strong for her size as her muscle tissue was dense and highly evolved and her bones were more dense than a humans. The structure of her brain indicated advanced body control. Such as self regulation of hormones, sweat, internal temperature and blood flow.

This woman was definitely something the Doctor had not encountered before. He had seen most of these things in singular species but never together. He was not even sure how to classify the two mystery organs.

Moving down to the section containing the possible reasons as to why she was experiencing pain when touched his eyebrows rose in surprise at the conclusion the machine reached.

It stated that her brain was currently connecting to all the nerves in her body and the areas of her brain associated with touch, sight, sound, taste and smell were causing confusing signals that were being rerouted to other sections of her mind. It was as if she had never experienced sensation before.

The results concluded with a possible treatment saying that another telepathic being could help her mind understand the signals or voluntarily moving the neurons to the correct pathways therefore forcing her to adapt rapidly.

The TARDIS nudged him again showing him an impression of a calm and patiently waiting mind.

The Doctor jumped to his feet in excitement, 'Oh, oh! You fantastic thing you! You've been talking to her this entire time haven't you?'

The TARDIS gave him a telepathic smile and a complex series of emotions he translated as the comatose woman understanding the situation and giving him permission to enter her mind.

Trusting that the TARDIS would only speak telepathically at such length with a being that meant him no harm. The Doctor moved to the woman's bedside and placed his fingers on her temples. She flinched but did not scream. The TARDIS was helping her keep the pain at bay.

For a moment The Doctor contemplated how intimate this was considered then shoved that thought aside. This woman would not be able to live a normal life until her mind could process the world around her and he being a telepath with the help of his fantastic time ship was the only one who could help.

Slowly brushing up against her consciousness the Doctor sent the woman a telepathic wave and request to enter.

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	5. Chapter 5

Jean was enjoying her first full conversation with another highly telepathic being. To lesser telepaths and non-telepaths the conversation would seem to be a confusing mishmash of fast flickering emotions, pictures and vague impressions but The TARDIS and herself could completely understand each other.

Currently the TARDIS, or Sexy as she sometimes referred to herself, was explaining to Jean what voiced languages were and how she translated them for her Thief and his companions.

Sexy would send out a large telepathic field encompassing all the sentient beings near her and read their surface thoughts to gain an understanding of their language and translate and transmit that language to her Thief and his companions.

Because she would read so many being's thoughts at one time she would gain an impression of their surface thoughts without invading their privacy. Sexy held herself within a high moral compass and found invading another's mind beyond their surface thoughts highly immoral.

Sexy believed that Jean could use this process without her help to learn other languages and encouraged Jean to try when she got the chance.

They also discussed the physical world beyond the basics Sexy relayed moments before. Jean was struggling to understand the concepts because she had spent quite an extended period of time as a floating consciousness in what Sexy explained was The Void Between Universes.

While Jean did not know the amount of time she had spent in The Void, Sexy had estimated nearly 4000 human years from the faint traces of time in Jean's thoughts. She was not surprised, on some level her mind was aware of time passing when she within the nothingness but without anything to measure with it was moved to the back of her mind.

When the scan completed and before the Doctor had returned Sexy started to explain the results to her and what was needed to end her pain. While Jean did not understand some of the things about her body she did understand what was needed to end the pain from the sensation overloads.

Jean asked Sexy if she could be the one to help reorganize her brain but Sexy responded with a negative.

The TARDIS, while having a physical body, did not have a brain structure like Jean. Sexy was a consciousness housed within a physical body and would not know the intricatcies of the biological physical shape Jean possessed.

Sexy explained that the Doctor was qualified to help her and knew how to as well.

Jean had sensed the Doctor's mind in the control room and had felt what type of person he was. The sad grief filled mind called to her and the urge to relieve him of some of his sadness had made her offer her support but she had also sensed the darkness in him. The anger, rage and storm of emotions scared her on a deep level. Jean did not know if she wanted someone like that to enter her mind and have free range in her consciousness to alter her.

Having left her thoughts open for The TARDIS to read. Sexy interrupted her train of thought with an apology and an offer to give her more insight into the type of person the Doctor was.

Jean accepted her offer and received a small section of Sexy's vast memories of the Doctor.

While only being a small portion, the information given contained many memories related to the trials and tribulation, to the joys and humor, to the fall of an advanced species and the decision of one man saving the universe. Jean watched all the memories with a sense of awe and appreciation. The Doctor was an honorable and heroic being even with his faults but she decided to trust him with her care.

She would let him help her and offer him her greatest gratitude when she could.

Sexy gave Jean a very strong telepathic hug when she reached her decision.

Testing to see if she could, Jean tried to close her eyes to remove some of the stimulus from her overtaxed mind.

The TARDIS had been helping her bare the load but could only help so much. It took a few attempts but Jean succeed and the image centers of her brain calmed down.

Telling Sexy to relay her acceptance to the Doctor. Jean let her mind fall into a meditative state to rest until The Doctor returned.

...

A feeling of shock and fear sent in her direction roused her from her meditation.

The Doctor had returned and it seemed something had scared him.

Jean inquired what had scared him to the TARDIS and received a telepathic signal to remain patient, all will be explained very shortly. Accepting the TARDIS's request for patience Jean focused her mind on picking up the emotions broadcasting from The Doctor.

He was broadcasting shock, awe and fear very loudly in her direction and a sense of contemplation, concentration and a small flicker of anger mixed with nostalgia at himself. Jean mused that something from her results did not sit well with The Doctor and most likely brought up bad memories.

The Doctor's emotions spiraled off more and more chaotically until the TARDIS interrupted him and caused his emotions to switch dramatically in the opposite direction suddenly becoming joy, pride and a fond love directed at the TARDIS. He then broadcasted confusion before his attention turned to her with realization and a sharpening concentration on himself as he moved bodily to where she lay.

Jean flinched when his fingers came to rest on her temples. The pain brief as Sexy helped prop her mind and the Doctor sent her a greeting and a request to enter her consciousness.

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	6. Chapter 6

When The Doctor entered the woman's mind he paused for a few moments to gape in awe at the sheer size and alieness that was her consciousness.

He had entered very few minds at this deep level telepathy before but those minds had some commonalities between them. They all had something referred to as 'sense of self' which was a combination of cultural ideas and deeply embedded emotions that composed them. It was what made them who they were as beings and usually showed up as mental constructs inside their minds, mostly buildings or general places where they felt safest.

This woman was either a blank slate or her sense of self was too alien for him to understand.

His mental signature was currently floating in what he could only describe as nothingness. A place of sensory deprivation but her mind was beyond active. He could telepathically sense her all around him.

Her emotions and thoughts the were open before him and he had never experienced anything like it before. Other beings would also have connections to their bodies and what was around them in the physical world but in her mind those senses were totally absent.

'Blimely! I am starting to understand why the medical scans came to the conclusion it did. You're a completely telepathic being shoved into a new body without the manual, arn't you?' He mused out loud.

He didn't expect the woman to respond but he received a telepathic response of jumbled emotions trying to convey a concept. 'Whoa, whoa, slow down there! Can you communicate differently? I can't understand you.' He said both out loud and telepathically.

The Doctor thought he sensed the woman's consciousness directing questions at the TARDIS. He didn't hear the response himself but the results of whatever the TARDIS said appeared in front of him. It was the first thing related to sight he had witnessed in this woman's mind. It seemed that the TARDIS had explained how to communicate with him because a vague humanoid shape became outlined in front of him in the nothingness.

The woman's mental self was just a black humanoid outline that first inspected itself before turning its attention to The Doctor and spoke telepathically, 'I apologize, noise communication is a concept I am trying very hard to grasp.'

They were not words this figure spoke to him with but more impressions of ideas that translated into sentences through the Doctor's understanding of the concepts behind the thoughts.

The sentence he translated was originally a feeling of apology followed by the impression of the Doctor's first words in the console room that this woman had heard and the feeling of mentally reaching to understand the noises but not succeeding but still trying.

The Doctor was beginning to understand that his first opinion of this woman's mind had been correct. She was so alien in her thought patterns that he could not understand her. Finding a way to bridge this communication gap was his top priority.

He definitely was not jealous of the TARDIS' ability to understand her. Not at all.

'Basics!' he exclaimed suddenly, 'The basics are where we are going to start.'

The woman probably didn't understand his exclamation judging from the confusion he felt from her. At least their emotions matched on some level. That was a mystery to figure out later he had his priorities to cover at the moment.

'What is your name? What do you call yourself?' he continued.

Her response was another jumble of emotions and concepts that seemed to be her normal thought pattern. The TARDIS gently prodded The Doctor with the image of denim jeans. Confused for a moment, realization hit him, 'Jean! Is your name Jean?' he asked excitedly.

Having the TARDIS as an intermediary was becoming quite fruitful.

The mental figure before him directed confusion at his time ship and receiving the ship's response led to a blast of excitement inside this woman's mind. She turned to The Doctor and telepathically gave an excited affirmative.

'Looks like you enjoy learning new things doesn't it? I think this process of learning to speak with each other is going to be very fun!' The Doctor smiled and radiated happiness for Jean to feel.

...

Hours later the Doctor was beginning to regret his previous excited remark about how teaching Jean would be enjoyable. While she got many concepts immediately after he explained them in detail. There were certain topics she struggled to grasp at all and he was frustrated beyond belief. Not frustrated with Jean's inability to grasp the ideas but frustrated at himself for being unable to explain them in ways she could understand.

Hand covering his face, he mumbled tiredly to himself, 'I'm beginning to think you might have to jump in the deep end to figure some of this out.'

Jean tilted her head to the side in confusion. She was still speaking telepathically but was inserting more words into her communication and continued to add more as they spoke more. 'Jump in the deep end? I do not understand.'

This was one of the problems the Doctor faced. Jean could not understand turns of phrase because she had never encountered the situations or objects where these phrases came from. With humor and sarcasm, the Doctor didn't even try to explain, it went right over her head. She could only understand some thing through experience.

On the positive side he had discovered that Jean was an attentive student who held the patience of a saint. She was very forgiving when he failed to explain something in a way she could understand.

Letting air rush out of his mouth in a loud sigh, the Doctor decided it was time to see if the modifications he had made to her mental processes had worked. Hopefully she would not be overwhelmed by her senses after they removed themselves from her consciousness.

He turned to the black outline that represented Jean, 'I finished the repairs on your brain pathways quite some time ago and I think it is time we see if it has worked or not. I am going to leave your mind and I want you to open your eyes, if you can that is, then we will take it from there. Tell the TARDIS if the pain comes back. She will tell me if you tell her.'

Jean gave a mental nod and he pulled out of her mind slowly to avoid any damage. The Doctor had been very deep in her consciousness and quick withdrawal could cause pain and disorientation, for both parties involved.

Once completely removed he lemented for a few moments being alone in his mind once again. Jean's mind might have been quite alien to him but having another with him besides his faithful time ship erased a burden he often tried to ignore but mostly failed.

He had told Jean to contact the TARDIS because although he was a telepath, he was a touch telepath and could not retain physical touch with her at all times or at all if his efforts were in vain and she still felt pain with touch.

Jean had agreed early on in their conversations to not use long range telepathic communication with him or others because he did not know if her mind would overwhelm a person or not. Because he was tightly Bonded to the TARDIS as her pilot, the sentient ship could communicate with him and Jean could with the TARDIS without hurting her so the TARDIS had offered to be an intermediary between the Doctor and Jean. She quite liked Jean.

He pulled his hands away from Jean's temples and stepped back to stretch his arms above his head. He hoped the fact she did not flinch again was a good sign.

Seeing her eyes open slowly and begin to stare at the ceiling he asked his TARDIS if Jean was prepared and received a telepathic nod.

Moving over to the medical scanning bed's monitor he activated the brain scan to monitor Jean's brain waves.

He returned to the bed side and hoping he wasn't going to cause her pain he held his hand out and softly moved the pads of his finger down her left forearm.

He had closed his eyes in anticipation of screaming but when it did not occur he opened his eyes to see that Jean was looking right at him. With his fingers still on Jean's arm he could feel her mental signature radiating relief and thankfulness.

The Doctor smiled brightly at her, 'Can you move your body? Like I explained before?' he asked both out loud and mentally, still not sure if she understood all the words.

Jean managed to tilt her head to look down at the arm the Doctor's fingers were still lightly pressed against. While her face was blank her mind became focused on her body movements and several tense seconds passed before her left arm raised itself up off the scanning bed a few inches.

'Ha ha!' the Doctor shouted, startling Jean, as he turn away from her and raised his arms in celebration. Then proceeded to do a small jig he was so excited.

'That is great!' he said while hopping on his toes, 'I knew my genius mental arrangement of the neurons in your brain would work!'

The TARDIS started chiding him through their connection and he turned to Jean, who had managed to get herself in a sitting position and said, 'Oh yes, uh, it's your body so congratulations on success?' he sheepishly ended in a question.

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	7. Chapter 7

Enjoy this little chapter from a new point of view. She will get the tenses wrong and most likely confuse a few people but isn't that the fun part? I might have hidden some foreshadowing in here somewhere.

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The TARDIS was absolutely brimming with happiness. She was going to make a new friend and her Thief would too.

The last time she had spoken to another on this level, and they understood her, was when her sisters were still with her. She was going to miss her sisters.

Her Thief's confusion made her laugh. He just would not, could not, see Jean's point of view.

Being a consciousness inside her blue box, the TARDIS would be able to understand Jean's confusion with most biological sentient's actions. The TARDIS was going to have more experience so she gave her insights to Jean when asked.

The TARDIS saw, was seeing, Jean as a like minded being. She will love her Thief but sometimes a girl needed another girl to talk too.

When an anomoly was going to appear in her console room the TARDIS was feeling threatened by this anomoly and she was going to activate her internal intruder alarm so her Thief could investigate the anomoly.

The greeting she received from the anomoly was a surprise. Her internal scanners had categorized the anomoly as comatose unknown alien female with high brain activity. It was going to seem the anomoly was highly telepathic and friendly. The TARDIS had been overjoyed with this discovery.

She told the anomoly she possessed a lovely physical shell as well.

The request from Jean on how to explain what her name was without confusing her Thief was leading to a rather humorous conversation for the TARDIS between Jean and herself. Jean would not remember where her name came from or what it meant for a while. When she did understand exactly how the TARDIS explained it, Jean had had her first experience with indignation.

Jean took to the lessons she taught her with an ease that made the TARDIS very proud of her. Teaching her how to make people and animals ignore Jean like the TARDIS' own camouflage was going to be a good decision.

Her poor Thief, so angry because of the truthful words Jean would tell him. It was nessesary though. Her Thief would tread a fine line he would soon regret.

* * *

So The TARDIS jumped around a bit during her point of view. I don't know why. She is a pan dimensional being, Im only a simple fan fiction author.

Please review and leave your thoughts.


	8. Chapter 8

I do apologize for any spelling or grammatical errors these are unbeta'd.

* * *

When the Doctor's finger touched her arm Jean was prepared for pain. When it did not arrive her mind instantly started cataloging the sensation of his finger gliding down her arm, over the hair and skin, insighting the nerves just enough to tell her he was touching her.

Without her brain overloading with pain she found herself able to concentrate with a clear mind like she used to do in the nothingness.

She kept an open link to Sexy so she could ask questions about the environment around her while other parts of her mind tried to figure out how to move her body.

The Doctor was asking her to move her left arm.

Jean understood both his mental and verbal question. She was working very hard to interpret verbal communications better. The Doctor and the TARDIS had explained it was what almost all beings used to communicate in this new realm.

Concentrating on the muscles in her neck she tilted her head enough to see the arm he requested she move. After several seconds figuring out how to move more than one muscle group at the same time her left arm lifted itself several inches off the medical bed.

The Doctor startled her ears with a loud exclamation of excitement. Her brain filing away the new words, tone of voice and volume. His mental broadcast of emotions helped her understand he was happy he succeed in his mission to relieve her of the pain and a sense of pride in his own work.

As he bobbed up and down next to the scanning bed. She moved her body into an upright position to observe more of the area she had resided in for the past few hours. Her body's previous instincts were helping her newly adjusted mind with moving around.

Jean watched the Doctor curious about his movements and mood. He turned around and addressed her but she failed to grasp the words or concept his mind broadcasted so she just tilted her head to the side in confusion. That seemed to be a built in bodily instinct conveying her emotion.

Sexy seemed to be enjoying the Doctor's antics as she was giving off a feeling of joy and amusement over their link.

Jean watched as the Doctor calmed down and moved to sit in a chair to review the newest scans of her brain.

'Let's see what this new scan says here. Ah! It looks like most of the signals in your brain that were being rerouted to the wrong parts are now going to the right places.' he glanced at Jean and flickered over her form before his cheeks turned pink, 'and you are still naked! Ahem! We need to remedy that. I would have dressed you before but I doubt you would have appreciated clothes make you scream.'

The Doctor was babbling and averting his eyes from Jean's nude form.

Jean herself did not know why the Doctor was suddenly radiating embarrassment. She glanced down at her body then decided to ask Sexy.

Sexy's response was a sense of fondness for her Thief and a brief explanation about some species thoughts on nudity.

Jean's return thought was mostly confusion and her own conclusion that some species were very weird.

Sexy agreed fully and shrugged with a mental, 'but what can you do?' of exasperation. Sexy was naked all the time but she did not see anyone making a big deal out of it.

...

Figuring out how to walk and with the adventure of dressing Jean in some sweatpants and a T-shirt over, which consisted of the 'what appendage goes in what hole' game. The Doctor guided Jean out of the medbay and into an adjoining sitting room to ask her some important questions.

Manoeuvering Jean on to a large fluffy couch the Doctor sat across from her.

'I have a few questions you can hopefully answer. First is where did your name come from? I mean it's an oddly human name for a near four millennia old telepathic being from The Void.' he asked with an intense gaze.

Jean sat on the couch and took some time to process his question. She had never though much of it in the recent past but maybe she had thought about it a long time ago. Being so old she had forgotten many things. Jean closed her eyes and reached deep into her past memories. When she opened her eyes she stared directly into the Doctor's and said softy, 'I was not always.'

The Doctor blinked, not expecting a verbal response. All her communication so far had been telepathic. He was even aware that at this very moment she was conversing with his ship, asking questions and gaining knowledge from the TARDIS' vast memory to help her gain clarity on her situation and enviroment.

The Doctor made a motion with his hand for her to continue. Forgetting for a moment she had no idea what it meant. It took him a few seconds to realize what he had done and he relayed his request to his ship.

'Elaborate? You were not always what?' he asked and leaned forward in interest.

Jean remained motionless but her eyes glazed over in ancient memories of her past until she jerked slightly in surprise and returned her attention to the Doctor.

'I was not always now.' she stated in stilted words. Pausing between each word to select the correct one. 'I was long past very different, scared.'

She held up her arm and reached for him, 'Touch.' she said.

At the end of her soft words his ship sent him a cautious warning that what he was going to see was emotional and to trust her. He figured this would be the most efficient way to answer his question about her emotional and mental development, so he placed his fingers on the back of her hand and felt himself sucked into a memory.

=Panic, fear, confusion= How did I get here? Where is here? Oh god, was she dead? Can't feel my legs... my arms... or anything! =The vague passage of time= I'm probably dead or in some purgatory. Never should have doubted Mom's idea about religion. =Depression and loneliness= I miss Mom. =The mental equivalent of crying.=

The Doctor was released from the emotionally powerful memory to see Jean's unfathomable gaze on him. She returned her arm to her side and waited for him to collect himself.

'That explains a lot actually. Quite a few of my questions don't need to be asked now.' he leans back and rests his head on the back of his seat. Eyes on the ceiling as he siffs through and reorganizes his thoughts.

'When we first started our conversation in your mind,' he states to the ceiling, 'and I figured out you were a purely telepathic being. I began to wonder how you had formed some of your thoughts and emotions. Your emotions sync'd with my own and the TARDIS' quite well but if you were a new species from The Void like I originally thought this would have been highly improbable.' He paused to steel himself and gather his thoughts.

'You see Time Lords had once studied what they called Singular Telepathic Evolution. This was a study of long lived telepathic beings that were put in to forced isolation from birth to adulthood and depending on the species, the tests could take centuries.' He released a shuddering breath.

'Time Lords were never known as a particularly cruel race,' he explained, 'but that study was buried deep in the archives. If I had known about these studies I would have stopped them but they happened before I even existed.' he frowned at the ceiling.

Continuing his explanation, 'Their studies found that in an isolated environment a telepathic being would develop emotions and thought patterns too complex for even Time Lords to comprehend. You do have very complex thought patterns and emotions but you can also understand both mine and the TARDIS. Which is odd.'

He removed his gaze from the ceiling and refocused on the woman across from him. Her face was still blank, she had not shown any facial expressions yet, but her eyes were singularly focused on the Doctor with an extreme intensity.

He had paused to allow the TARDIS to translate the more complex underlying concepts into something Jean would understand. When she mimicked his earlier motion to continue the Doctor's lips almost smiled. She was learning incredibly fast.

'The memory you shared with me,' he continued leaning forward once more, 'tells me that you were not always telepathically inclined. I do not know what species you originally were. It's possible that you come from another universe or parallel universe. Or even your time in The Void made you adapt somehow to survive there and that removed any identifiable traces of your species but neither I or the TARDIS has encountered someone like you before. You are incredibly unique!' he gushed with excitement.

'Back on topic, the memory you shared with me makes me think you somehow came to be inside the Void; accident, spacial rupture, experiment, tripped and fell out an airlock, you just somehow got in there and your mind and body adapted to the conditions. I don't know how your body survived for 4000 years without nutrients but, as I'm sure you've already figured out, your mind started evolving and kept evolving. It is still improving right now considering you are sucking up knowledge like a sponge!'

The Doctor had been trying to keep his explanations clinical to allow his ship to translate with ease but as he got more excited with his conclusion, his speech patterns returned to their normal manic jumble.

It took 7 minutes of telepathic translation (That is quite a long time.) but Jean completely understood the Doctor's long speech. Even the sponge comment though that took some creative thinking on the TARDIS' part.

Somehow 4000 years ago Jean had found herself trapped in The Void Between Universes. Instead of perishing her body changed to survive in the conditions of nothingness that exist there. Her mind having no new knowledge to keep it occupied turned itself inward and combined with The Void's sensory deprivation, focused on her own mental abilities developing massive telepathic skills and empathic abilities. Possibly other skills she was not aware of yet.

It all came down to the fact she once had a physical body and somewhere deep within her mind the knowledge was still there. Although her emotions and thoughts had evolved they still evolved from the basics most sentient beings develop during the first part of their lives.

The Doctor had uncovered one mystery about the woman.

...

Jean and the Doctor spent some time just silent in the sitting room. Both focusing on their own internal thoughts.

The Doctor was reviewing theories and hypothesis about Jean's physical and mental abilities. Effectively distracting him from the crushing depression of the previous days events.

Apparently, Jean was pondering her future prospects because her voiced question of, 'What happens next?' Jarred the Doctor harshly from his scientific thoughts.

The Doctor didn't reply right away he turned to study the woman who sat across from him. He hadn't thought that far ahead. Too engrossed in this new distraction from past events to contemplate her future. She had no where to go. He was possibly the only other person she knew.

At that thought the TARDIS rudely nudged his thoughts and told him she was keeping the interesting girl. He better not get rid of her or she wouldn't land where he wanted for the next century!

The Doctor's jaw dropped and he quickly reassured his ship that he was not even thinking of abandoning Jean, he was just letting his mind wander. No need to get snippy!

If he had been paying attention to Jean he probably would have seen her mouth form into her first smile. A small smile, but still.

* * *

I'd like to point out that Jean is not stupid in any way. She is actually very smart. There is a large communication barrier between her and The Doctor. She is learning a new language and she won't pick it up in a day or two. Even if she can learn faster with help from the TARDIS.

Please review and leave your thoughts.


	9. Chapter 9

Watching Sexy chastise the Doctor gave Jean some amusement. She didn't particularly know why she found it amusing. She was still trying to grasp exactly what was humorous and what was not but she just knew something about the Doctor's gobsmacked expression tickled her mind. At the moment her ability to understand illogical concepts was lacking. Situation humor might be beyond her comprehending but didn't stop her emotional reactions.

She was sure the Doctor did not even know why Sexy was chastising him. Jean did though. His conscious surface thoughts were obviously in the now. Concentrating on facts and figures related to her but his subconscious practicly shouted that he wanted to be alone. Even if he didn't realize it; he did not want Jean there.

Sexy was concerned her Thief's depression would make him act rashly and was taking charge of the situation.

The Doctor could honestly say he had never spent this much time or effort communicating with his TARDIS before. It was unusual for her to be speaking so much in one time zone. As a pan dimensional being she existed in all times. Putting so much of her own effort into these last few hours was going to wear her out soon. So when she suddenly declared that Jean was not his companion but her own his mind screeched to a halt and he was speechless which turned into indignation.

Jean just watched their conversation, ticked with humor.

'What? What! No, you can't do that!' he shouted at his ship. Just how could a time ship have a companion anyway?

The TARDIS' response went something along the lines of: 'I don't see why I can't. You're always bringing home strays to clutter up my hallways. Why shouldn't I get a chance to bring one? They are MY hallways.'

'Why are you so interested in her! Sure she's a new species I've never encountered before, her telepathic abilities are off the charts and where she comes from is fascinating but she can't be that important!' He sputtered.

The Doctor's indignation at having another occupant in his ship died down to a quiet murmur having stumbled on the crux of matter. The TARDIS never outright said anything important to avoid temporal paradoxes. She was very good at leading him in the right directions though.

If a being could radiate sly smugness the TARDIS was somehow succeeding. Both of them knew each other so well their arguments were either competitions of stubbornness or extremely short.

'She is mine.' Came her possessive response. 'If you don't want her around I'll keep her in other parts of me.' She suggested.

They both seemed to have forgotten Jean was there witnessing this conversation. Deciding she had enough of being ignored she opened her mind wide and broadcasted, 'Do I have any say in my future?'

Realizing they had been making decision for her without her consent both time ship and Time Lord were a bit sheepish.

'Of course.' Both replied.

But not really. The decision was out of the Doctor's hands and Sexy already knew she was staying. She had just not informed Jean yet.

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Please review and leave your thoughts.


	10. Chapter 10

This is a bit of a summery chapter and contains a good bit of info you'll need soon. An episode is coming up. Get ready for The Next Doctor and the interesting things Jean might do. It'll be written more story like and all from Jean's POV.

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The next couple of weeks in the TARDIS were spent with both biological passengers getting to know each other.

After a week of intense telepathic sessions with Sexy. The time ship told Jean she needed to return her attention to the past/present/future and recalled her consciousness back into herself. The ship could still speak with Jean but their conversations were more flashes of emotions, simple images and at times she manipulated her internal structure. Jean was left to interpret these messages for herself.

The intensive conversations did have a large impact. Jean gained a greater understanding of some important topics. Most important being her language skills and her telepathic abilities so she could freely speak with the Doctor when he wasn't off brooding. She had received a long lecture on the morals of using her abilities and while not ordered to directly follow the TARDIS' strict rules Jean was encouraged to use the lecture as a basis for her own limitations.

Learning the ins and outs of her physical body was something Jean both enjoyed and detested. The Doctor pointed her in the direction of several helpful books and offered to answer any questions she might have after reading them. She quite enjoyed finding out she could control most of her internal bodily functions with simple concentration and testing the range of control. As her medical scan had stated, she could easily control her hormone production, blood flow, heart beat and even digestive track. Oddly enough her respritory functions were highly automated and took intense concentration to change. She was not bothered, her lungs were highly evolved and efficient.

Sexy was very amused when Jean learned how to use the bathroom and giggled in the back of her mind as Jean was both disgusted and fascinated by her bodily waste. She had eaten green veggitation. How did it change to such a different color by passing through her stomach and intestines? That question had led to a lecture from the Doctor about digestion.

The Doctor continued to travel even with the addition of a fellow passenger. At first he did not know how to react to her. It was an odd situation for him with her being the TARDIS' companion. During one trying adventure he had demanded she return to the TARDIS because he felt Jean could not handle the danger and when he returned to the TARDIS he had found himself on the receiving end of a scathing tirade from the sentient ship. The TARDIS told him to trust Jean to handle herself, reminded him she was not his companion so Jean wasn't his responsibility she was hers and to let her take care of Jean.

Trusting the TARDIS to take care of Jean took time but he eventually learned that Jean was often in some sort of mental contact with his ship. He figured this out when they both were in a tight spot being cased by a mob down a winding street filled with many side alleys. He had just happened to glance sideways at her to see her tilt her head, as she often did when mentally speaking to the TARDIS, then reach out and grab his hand to haul him into one of the many unrecognizable side alleys. This alley twisted and turned for nearly a kilometer before widening onto the street he had landed the TARDIS. They made a clean getaway and he gained an understanding of the relationship between the two highly telepathic beings.

During the first trips she went with the Doctor, Jean learned about herself. Having spent somewhere around 4000 years in isolation and not remembering the time before, Jean was very awkward and tentative in her interactions with others on a larger scale. Strangers did not know this though. Jean had retained the ability to keep her face blank of almost all expression and her eyes showed her age. They were admittedly intimidated by the short haired girl.

With no knowledge of the importance of social norms or cultural differences. Jean ended up being horribly blunt and honest with anything she said. If she said anything at all. She found comfort in silence and blending into the background as the Doctor took the spotlight with his manic energy. When she did speak though, her words held weight and power. The Doctor had used this to his advantage in diffusing tense situations.

Her telepathic abilities had shown to be very beneficial. She sensed the surface thoughts and emotions of those around her, had the ability to speak directly with other minds over great distances and even developed a rare telekinetic push.

The sensing of surface thoughts and emotions was something she could not turn off. It could be tuned down with concentration but when Jean did this it felt like losing an important limb.

She limited her use of long range telepathy as it required her to move beyond the mental shields of most minds. In most telepathic cultures this is considered extremely rude and can be interpreted as assault. She mostly used it for wide range surface scans or a personal perception filter like Sexy taught her how to do.

The telekinetic ability was a surprise for all parties. On a trip to an uninhabited planet to enjoy the scenic environment, Jean had gotten separated from the Doctor in a thick forest and run afoul of a pack of aggressive carnivores. While fleeing for her life she was cournered in a particularly dense section of trees. Unable to squeeze through the surrounding vegetation Jean had turned to face the hunting pack of three dog/boar like creatures to fight for her life. One of the creatures had tackled her to the ground during the fight and tried to maul her with its tusks. Her survival instinct kicked in high gear and she shouted 'NO!' slamming her palm into the things head. To her surprise it was flung up and away from her with tremendous force. Scaring the other creatures enough to slip around them and make her way back to the worried Doctor and TARDIS.

When the Doctor later ran a series of tests to replicate the move they concluded that when Jean's stress and adrenalin levels got high enough her body reached a level of such high activity it allowed her to release some of the Void Energy stored in her body. This created a mentally directed push effect. It could only be used in certain high stress situations but it would be helpful secret.

...

And life continued as normal as it could get for a Time Lord, his sentient time/space ship and his ship's friend. Until the day the TARDIS requested Jean did not join the Doctor in leaving to explore a Christmas-y London.

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Sorry it turned out like that but I really really want to get to the actual episodes and plot!

Please review and leave your thoughts.


	11. Chapter 11

Jean was browsing through Sexy's very extensive wardrobe. For the past month she had been wearing sweatpants and simple t-shirts. Not because she preferred them herself, she just did not know what kind of style she liked. This morning through she had gotten the urge to browse and pick out some new clothing.

As she inspected different types of dress Sexy was giving her impressions of what some types of style and clothes were used for. A flash of cold for winter wear, an image of a warm sun for summer clothing and even a few impressions Jean had no idea how to classify. Why would a tiny green lizard be associated with a pair of shoes? Or a book labeled 'How to feed Man' be related to 21st century aviator sun glasses?

After a few hours of trying on clothes Jean's ensemble consisted of a long sleeved dark gray shirt covered with a dark 63rd century light weight 'assault proof' vest (Sexy insisted), green camo trousers and strudy brown running boots. Over all a very practicle outfit.

Jean was just happy her trousers had lots of pockets. Her last month of adventures had given her a need to be prepared for any situation. Those pockets were going to get filled with all manner of helpful things.

The Doctor had called it paranoia and Jean had just started listing all the situations they had gotten into with a bland monotone voice (it was a long list). That shut his gob right quick.

...

As Jean strolled into the console room her new boots muffled her steps. The Doctor gave her new outfit a quick once over before returning his attention to setting some coordinates.

'Like the new clothes.' he commented, 'Is the vest nessesary?'

'Yes, the TARDIS insisted. I don't argue with pan dimensional beings.' Came the bland response.

The Doctor made a non committal noise in the back of his throat. Despite the danger they often got into, sometimes Jean thought that the Doctor overlooked personal safety. With his dark moods lately she wouldn't be surprised if he might be a bit suicidal. He certainly put himself in very precarious situations more often than not. She'd take a little disdain about her clothes if it meant she would be a bit safer.

'Want to join me today? Test run that new outfit, wear in those boots?' he chirped.

Jean paused to consider his offer. While she didn't join him every time he went on his outings it was rare that he asked her to join him. Usually she would go off on her own. He must have been in a good mood to request her company. She was about to accept when Sexy nudged her with a flash of warning and a plea to stay inside.

'No, I think I'll stay in today. Probably goto the library and read.'

He pouted at her response.

'Alright.' he said shortly while activating a few levers and bobs on the console.

The TARDIS shuddered and jerked in her usual flight turbulence. Jean made a grab for the edge of the console to prevent from being thrown to the floor. When everything settled down after the engine noises stopped the Doctor walked to the doors and exited without a goodbye. Looks like he was a little put out by her refusal.

Jean glimpsed snow on cobblestone ground before the doors were shut.

'Why do you not want me to go?' she asked the TARDIS.

'Because you are needed elsewhere.'

Sexy had done this before. Giving her little side missions. Sometimes the entire situation was explained to Jean, sometimes not. Sexy's cryptic responses usually involved a lot of quick thinking in the near future.

'It's going to be one of those days isn't it?' she complained.

'Shadow the Red Hearted Woman and protect her.'

The TARDIS' words were sometimes hard to translate between situations. Having a word also mean an image and an emotion could be confusing. Sexy had said protect but the telepathic inflection leaned to mental protection rather then physical.

'Anything else you can tell me?'

Sexy gave a negative and a fierce mental hug. 'Be safe.'

Jean smiled inwardly and moved toward the doors. Leaning against the door was a black oddly shaped pack with many buckles and straps with a small book. She picked up the book.

'How to sky dive, a comprehensive guide. Oh you have got to be kidding me, Sexy!' She glared at the doors but got no response from the ship.

Jean blankly stared at the parachute pack for a full 5 minutes before resigning herself and pulling the straps over her shoulders and slipping her legs in the harness then making sure all the buckles were connected correctly.

She put the book into one of her trouser pockets then gathered herself together. The parachute was a big surprise. Relaxing her body and removing all emotion from her face Jean pushed open the doors and stepped out into a chilly open alley.

Light snow was falling in an open air market to her right. Men in waist coats and top hats escorting women on their arms. A few chickens and a goat were freely roaming the market stalls. A younger boy was shouting excerpts from a newspaper trying to sell them to passing shoppers. From the looks of things it was Earth 1800's. Obviously the winter months.

'I bet this is London knowing the Doctor's luck.' she dryly stated to herself.

Throwing out her telepathic field she gathered information from local surface thoughts gaining a general feel of the populous and turned all possible attention away from herself. This time she would remain as unnoticeable as she could.

She was right it was London, Christmas 1851.

'Typical,' she said to herself, 'Why does he always end up in London?'

Her scan found the Doctor a few streets over already in the thick of things from the excitement he was radiating. There was also a strange mind in his general vicinity. Animal but not, altered somehow.

She concentrated on the unnatural animal near him. It had only what she could describe as a metal tinge to it. Searching for other minds with the same metal tinge she found a large population of emotionally stunted humanoids near the local river system.

Early in her travels she had learned that anomalous usually meant that's where the action was. So she started moving vaguely toward the river at a sedate walking pace.

Passing by the crowds was fairly easy with her mental perception filter it made all the humans ignore her as long as she did not draw attention to herself. Her pace was only slowed by navigating into some alleyways toward the river.

Jean enjoyed the walk by appreciating the architecture and the 'flavor' of the local minds. The differences between planets and times had fascinated her on her first trip and continued to do so. This universe was so vibrant and varied compared to the nothingness from whence she came.

...

Jean was passing a large cemetery when Sexy sent her advice to read through the book she had gifted her. Assuming that meant she had some extra time to find this Red Hearted Woman. She searched around the area for a seat then deposited herself on a nearby cemetery bench to read.

Pulling the book from her trouser pocket got comfortable ans started reading chapter 1. The text was a little bland but very informative. She now knew what all the pull things were on the parachute and knew enough about them to probably avoid hurting herself when she used the thing and she was going to use it. Sexy would not have given it to her otherwise.

Jean was not happy about that. Throwing herself from a great height with only a cloth chute as protection was not on her list of things she wanted to do. She did have a list too and when said list contained an addition labeled 'Stand on the edge of an active volcano, but safely.' Well that was probably self explanatory.

A flash of red in the corner of her vision caught her attention and she looked up to see a woman in a beautiful red gown striding across the snow white cemetery in the direction of an on going funeral. Jean was pretty sure wearing red at a human funeral was highly disrespectful during this time period.

Well, if that wasn't the woman she was searching for Jean would be severely disappointed.

Folding the corner of a page to mark her progress in the book and slipping it away, Jean stood up and slowly made her way over to the funeral gathering. None noticed her arrival several feet behind them.

'It's Miss Hartigan, isn't it?' an older man in the crowd questioned.

'Oh you noticed. I saw you looking, you cheeky boy.' Hartigan said coyly.

Jean felt the dark intentions in her emotions. This woman was practically broadcasting her ill intent for all to feel.

'I'm sorry but who is she?' asked the religious figure standing at the head of the grave.

Hartigan introduced herself, 'Matron of the St Joseph Workhouse, your humble servant. Oh, I've watched you all. Visiting, smiling, bestowing your beneficence upon the poor while I scrubbed down their filthy beds.'

Her voice lowered in distaste the more she spoke and her emotions mimicking that.

'I must insist you depart.' demanded the religious man.

Jean became aware of many metal tinged minds heading toward the cemetary. This was not good, she thought turning her head to find out what they were. While it was impossible to pick up their emotions, they gave off a distinct sense of militant violence. They were following orders and people were about to get hurt.

The TARDIS nudged her mind, 'Don't, it is unavoidable. Please do as I asked.'

Sexy's words were enough to keep her from revealing herself. She started to back slowly away from the gathering, picking her path carefully to avoid where the metal minds made distinct impressions in her telepathic field.

Hartigan started spouting the typical villian monolgue as she moved farther away.

'But that's why the late Reverend Fairchild had to die. To gather you all in one place. Where better than a funeral? Man that is born of woman hath but a short time to live. Although I've got some friends who might disagree with that. Would you like to meet them? Hark! I can hear them now.' She ended in a shout.

When the metal tinged beings appeared Jean recognized them from the Doctor's stories. They were Cybermen, former humans. The Doctor had explained to her that Cybermen had installed Emotional Inhibitors. No wonder their mental signatures were emotionally stunted.

Jean didn't hear what else Hartigan said. The sound of stomping metal feet, screams, men dying and electricity covered her words effectively. She observed silently and disassociated herself from feeling sympathy. Jean would not be effective if her emotions clouded her judgment. Trying to save these men would most likely get her killed.

Watching the group of men get slaughtered or kidnapped with a blank face, Jean prepared herself for the near future. If this was just the start of this adventure the rest would most likely be worse.

...

She had no idea why the 4 surviving men were being kept alive or clues to Miss Hartigan's motives but Sexy's telepathic messages had been very clear. Her only responsibility for the near future was to stay close to Miss Hartigan and somehow protect her mind.

The Doctor would both disagree and understand. Jean was not looking forward to the argument she most likely was going to participate in later. Sometimes the Doctor could be the worst of hypocrites when dealing with protecting timelines.

Jean followed Miss Hartigan and the captured men to a waiting carriage. The men were forced inside by two Cybermen and the carriage door was locked tight.

The Cybermen stood at attention after locking the men in. 'Mission objective complete. Proceed to next phase.'

She observed as Miss Hartigan strode casually over to the metal men and patted one on the shoulder like a beloved child. The woman's mind was suffused with a smug sense of victory.

'Yes, my sweet boys. Let us depart for the facility to give these gentlemen their warm welcome.'

With those words the two guarding Cybermen turned and stomped off in the direction of the other retreating forces. Miss Hartigan hefted herself into a separate smaller carriage and signaled the driving Cybershade to move.

Jean dashed after the moving carriages and managed to attach herself to the prison carriage by a handle and footplate on the back. Chilly air hitting her face as she held on Jean noticed the carriage was moving toward the river. Probably to where she sensed the large group, of what she now knew was Cybermen, earlier.

The carriages slowed down after navigating the tighter streets riverside and she hopped off to give herself some distance from their final destination. No need to be spotted for being on the back of that carriage. She wasn't invisible just willfully ignored and hard to notice.

Finding an out of the way spot to stand, but with a good view of the carriages, she watched as the 4 kidnapped men were manhandled into a nearby building. Miss Hartigan smiling brightly as she followed them in.

Jean did a circuit around the building once the area was clear of any possible danger and found no other usable entrances. So she parked herself on a box with a view of the front door and waited for something to happen.

Hours later, night had fallen and she had finished reading the guide book in her boredom.

...

One of the kidnapped men opened and walked out of the door. At first she thought he was making an escape attempt but then she noticed the blue ear pieces. The Doctor had mentioned these as some kind of mind control devices. Not escaping then, converted. The other men walked out as well, followed by Miss Hartigan.

Marching to the center of the street they lined themselves in a row before her and remained silent. Jean couldn't hear when Miss Hartigan began speaking but she could sense and see her gloating triumphant expression from across the street. After seeming to order the men to turn left and then right, Miss Hartigan dismissed them and Jean watched as she got into her carriage again.

When the carriage passed Jean's waiting spot Jean sprinted after it hoping to avoid the Cybershade's attention. She again attached herself to the back of the vehical by a handle and footplate. Smooshing herself close to the back until she knew the Cybershade hadn't seen her.

Miss Hartigan directed the Cybershade to drive quickly. She had the random thought of why no one had noticed the very obviously strange carriage driver yet. Then scoffed silently. Humans.

When the carriage had reached its destination Jean poked her head around the side and watched Hartigan stride into a darkened alley. The Cybershade dutifully behind her.

Slipping off the carriage she cautiously peered into the alley and found Hartigan conversing with two guarding Cybermen. 'You two!' she barked, 'attend me while I inspect the arrival of our new work force.'

Jean silently followed keeping close to the dark corners and shadows until the Cybermen took an unspoken que and stationed themselves in an open crossway. She saw no way past the two Cybermen without revealing herself. Moving into a position behind a pillar she lost sight of Hartigan.

She was not worried much, the woman hadn't been very far from the metal men whenever she saw her and if she didn't reappear Jean could just follow the Cybermen's weird metal tinged minds to where they were gathered.

She needn't have worried because her patience rewarded her unexpectedly when she heard two voices.

'Straight into the Thames!' said an excited female nearly shouted.

'Yeah, that's too well guarded. We'll have to find another way in.' She heard the Doctor say in his 'this is urgent' tone of voice.

From her position next to the brickwork pillar she observed as the Doctor and a black woman skidded into the area in front of the Cybermen guards.

'Whoa! That's cheating, sneaking up. Do you have your legs on silent?' the Doctor exclaimed before his eyes flickered in Jean's direction.

Miss Hartigan strolled casually between the Cybermen a beat after his bad joke.

'So, what do we have here?' she not so innocently inquired.

The Doctor's eyes flickered and met Jean's again. She shook her head and silently pointed a finger at Hartigan. He must have not gotten the message because he reached out a hand toward the red woman. Jean honestly did not understand how he could not see her intent from the woman's sinister facial expression. Then again she scoffed, Time Lords.

'Listen. Just walk towards me slowly. Don't let them touch you.' he urgently ordered Hartigan.

She began to strut undeterred before the Cybermen. 'Oh, but they wouldn't hurt me, my fine boys. They are my knights in shining armour, quite literally.' her voice sounded as if she were speaking to a particularly dense child.

'Even if they've converted you, that's not a Cyber speech pattern. You've still got free will. I'm telling you, step away.' he pleaded.

'There's been no conversion, sir. No one's ever been able to change my mind. The Cybermen offered me the one thing I wanted. Liberation.' Hartigan crowed.

Jean watched the entire conversation between the Doctor and Hartigan aprehensively. This could go bad very very fast. Jean's body tensed with stress as she nearly revealed herself when Hartigan ordered the Cybermen to delete the Doctor and his new companion. Only the timely arrival of a period dressed man shooting off some sort of blue energy weapon and destroying the Cybermen saved Jean's secrecy.

As the Doctor made his escape their eyes met and his stated they were going to have words once everything was sorted.

Jean's gaze remained unfathomable. Her face showed no expression to help him figure out why she was with the Cybermen and Hartigan. She tracked his escape until he moved out of sight.

With the Doctor gone Jean's attention returned to Hartigan when she shouted, 'Tell your masters we're not waiting till dawn. The CyberKing will rise tonight!'

That didn't sound good at all.

...

She followed Hartigan to what appeared to be the Cybermen's base of operations. It was in a sewer. Lovely.

She ignored the sick and dirty children being forced to build work in the sewer. It was heartless but she had to stay close to Hartigan and she knew the Doctor would show up at some point. He never left a child in danger.

She had a close call when she tripped on the uneven metal flooring and ended up nearly slamming bodily into a guarding Cyberman. The Cyberman had turned to find out what caused the noise behind it but Jean had slipped by on its other side then remained motionless as it returned to its original position. She remained unnoticed.

Perception filters were weird like that. If someone suspected and became alert about something in a certain direction, the other areas were still safe to be in. Cybermen being almost all logic were extremely easy to trick.

Tailing Hartigan and a Cyberman with an exposed brain became a practice in avoidance through the tight underground corridors and became more of a challenge when they moved to a higher section of the sewers as more Cybermen joined them.

When she spotted an important looking electrical chair and figured it was their intended destination she slipped into an adjoining hallway as silently as she could and quickly moved to position herself behind the chair. Its was dark enough behind the chair that she decided it would be a good enough hiding spot for her.

Her assumption it was their destination was correct and she peered around the side of the chair to see Hartigan and the troop of Cybermen come to a stop before the metal chamber the electrical chair was housed. She managed to glimpse Hartigan's awe filled expression for a split second before she moved back behind the chair to avoid detection.

Pressing her body close to the back of the chair she listened as the Hartigan crowed of her coming victory.

'Oh, that is magnificent. That is royalty, indeed. And that's quite a throne. Oh, you will look resplendent.' gushed Hartigan to the Cyberman next to her. Her mind was giving off distinct impressions of awe.

'The chair you designate as throne is not intended for me. My function is to serve the CyberKing, not to become the CyberKing.'

She was starting to figure out what she was here for as Miss Hartigan's emotions tumbled out of control in a whirlwind of confusion and realization.

'Then who sits there?' she asked. Jean didn't see what happened but felt Hartigan's horror.

'No! Now, just. I think if you remember correctly you said I was to be heralded.' she stuttered in an effort to save herself.

The Cybermen just chanted, 'All hail the CyberKing. All hail the CyberKing.'

'But you promised me. You said I would never be converted.'

'That was designated a lie.'

...

The next few minutes consisted of listening to Miss Hartigan's pleas and staying very still to avoid being seen by the Cybermen. She was sitting a lot closer then she was used to and it was extremely uncomfortable not having a few feet as a buffer for her perception filter ability.

The Cybermen retreated to a safe distance so Hartigan could be converted and now Jean knew what she was here for. Slowly standing up, avoiding detection, she placed her hands on Miss Hartigan's shoulders. The woman jumped in her seat and slightly turned her head noticing Jean for the first time.

The dry thought that she was not helping the woman keep her panic at bay by suddenly seeming to appear behind her flitted through her mind.

Her attention did not stay on Jean as a sinister metal helm descended from above.

Using the distraction Jean slipped into Hartigan's consciousness and created a buffer around the woman's emotions. Keeping a mental tether between them she also increased Hartigan's need to ignore Jean. She was not sure if this would completely work and her own safety was important.

The helm attached to Hartigan's head with a click and spark of blue engery. Jean felt her hands clamp harder on the woman's shoulders because of the slight electric current. The buffer seemed to work as the conversion could not find the hidden part of Hartigan's mind to change.

Hartigan's conversion complete Jean unraveled the buffer and waited anxiously to see if her efforts succeeded.

Jean dispeared only a moment as Hartigan regained consciousness and she felt no emotions from the woman. Then a violent burst from her almost made Jean happy about her success. Hartigan now being the leader of the Cybermen wouldn't allow her to celebrate her actions.

'I can see the stars, the worlds beyond, the Vortex of Time itself, and the whole of infinity. Oh, but this is glorious!'

Jean seriously doubted the woman actually understood what she was talking about. Seems the Cyber leader agreed with her if its retort of, 'That is incorrect. Glorious is an emotional response.' meant anything.

'There is so much joy in this machine.' gasped Hartigan.

Now Jean was very worried about the woman's brain. Did she screw up the buffer somehow?

'Don't you see? My mind is stronger than you ever thought. It dominates, sir. It dominates you.'

'Alert. You are operating beyond the standard parameters.'

'I am new. The might of your technology combined with my own imagination. Yes! There will be a new race of Cybermen. My Cybermen. Logic and strength combined with fury and passion.'

'Diagnosis, system failure. You will be removed from the processor.'

Jean observed as Hartigan used her new helm as an energy beam destroying the Cyberleader and Hartigan then shouting, 'I am CyberKing. My mind inside the Cybermen. And you will obey me!'

She wasn't really paying attention as she tried to figure out what she had done wrong or failed to protect in the woman's mind. She was vaguely aware of the ground heaving upward and the sound of explosions.

She blinked in surprise when she saw what had happened with the buffer. Completely by accident she had amplified Hartigan's Ego and Will power to unhealthy levels. No wonder she dominated the Cybermen so easily. Hartigan's will power could probably dominate the Doctor with the level she currently has but it wasn't lasting.

Jean could see the large fissures in Hartigan's consciousness, if she received a mental trauma it would break her mind wide open.

A sharp mental jab from the TARDIS broke Jean out of her concentration. She took a moment to analyze her surroundings, seeing Cybermen on either side of her, Hartigan in the chair in front. Jean paused a second when the height hit her. That sneaky little time ship.

The Doctor's consciousness was coming closer and she really did not want him to see her standing unharmed next to Hartigan while the woman was on her rampage.

So she snapped the connection with the woman, effectively turning off her perception filter, dodged between two of the guarding Cybermen and made a running leap off of the front of the Cyberfactory into free fall.

When far enough away from the giant Cyberman she pulled the release cord on her parachute and slowly descended into the panicking streets of 1851 London.

* * *

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	12. Chapter 12

As Jean weaved her way through the panicking humans back to the TARDIS she made her body stop producing adrenaline. The jump from the Cyberfactory had been both unnerving and exciting. Even with no adrenaline being produced it didn't stop the hormone already in her system from making her shake.

She sincerely hoped she would never have to do that again. She was not afraid of being at high altitudes it was the thought of falling and spending the time in free fall knowing your death was coming that unnerved her.

The sight of the TARDIS made her body unwind. Jean had not realized how stressed this adventure had made her. It had been a long few days with little to eat and no sleep since she had departed the TARDIS.

Entering the blue box she let Sexy's consciousness envelop her mind in a comforting flood of motherly love. Being inside the Old Girl always made telepathic communication between them much easier. Returning the gesture Jean plopped herself down on the only seating in the console room and released a long breath of air, relaxing further.

'You made me work really hard this time.' She commented telepathically and allowed her head to rest on the back of the chair to stare at the ceiling.

The TARDIS hummed an acknowledgement.

'I didn't see what the Doctor did to get rid of that giant monstrosity but all the Cybermen couldn't have been inside of it. Should we worry about them?'

'Do not worry. The Red Hearted Woman took them all with her in death. You succeeded.'

'Ah, I see now. That's why you sent me to shield her emotions from the Cyber Conversion.'

The TARDIS sent Jean a negative and a series of her own memories. It seemed that Hartigan would still have kept her emotions if Jean had not interfered and would still have destroyed the remaining Cybermen in the London sewer system. It looked like Jean's interference had not changed a thing.

'Why have me out there then?' she asked, a little bit peeved.

The next series of memories were not really memories, but were. In one not-memory a floppy-haired green-eyed Doctor in the most ridiculous outfit battled a Cyber Controller in his own mind. Only succeeding because of a highly improbable series of events. In many more not-memories the Doctor's mind was taken over and Cybermen ravaged the known universe.

'Was that the future?' Jean asked faintly. The significance of sharing future events not lost on her.

'Alternate timelines. That Cyber Controller was what the Cybermen managed to download from the Red Hearted Woman before she died. You prevented the download by increasing her will power.'

The TARDIS pulled back her consciousness abruptly to rest and Jean accepting their conversation over, navigated deeper into the ship in search of food and some clean clothes.

...

It was a shock to have Sexy outright share a possible future with her. The ship had spent a good deal of time educating her about timelines, fixed points, paradoxes, the laws of time, many other important parts of temperal physics and especially the consequences of manipulating or changing things. The TARDIS must be playing a complicated long game with Jean as her central mover.

She wasn't sure what to think about that.

Pushing it from her mind to ponder after a good rest. Jean finished her food, a delicious meat sandwich, and changed into a clean version of her clothes.

She had a confrontation with a Time Lord to wrap up before she could get some needed sleep.

...

Nearly an hour later the Doctor strolled in through the TARDIS doors a large smile on his face. The smile dimmed and vanish when he spotted Jean leisurely sitting on the grating floor. She merely watched him enter with her usual blank face and unfathomable eyes, waiting for him to speak.

His emotions whirled in a chaotic storm around him before outrage became the most prominent Jean could sense.

'I saw you.' he said. His tone normal but his eyes dark. 'I saw you with them and you did nothing! Just stood there and let them take the children! Kids, Jean!'

Jean remained silent her eyes following him as he began to pace back and forth manicly.

'What on Earth were you doing with them? Don't think I didn't sense you in the Cyberfactory. Your telepathic signature is so strong I can sense you miles away. You were right there with that Hartigan woman and you did nothing to stop her from attacking the city! A lot of people died tonight, Jean. Do you understand that. How could you let them die?'

Jean continued to sit in silence as the Doctor kept yelling at her for her inaction, berating her for things that were not her fault. She felt the shift in his emotions: A layer of madness seeping into his subconscious, eating away at his mind.

This had gone on long enough.

'Yes.' she said. Loud and clear, breaking through his increasingly irrational accusations.

The Doctor whipped around and glared darkly at her. 'Yes what?'

'Yes, I did nothing and people died.' She stated in such a calm tone the Doctor took a step back in shock, knocking him out of the accumulating madness that had clouded his mind.

Seems he wasn't expecting me to agree with his argument. He is not going to like this next bit though.

'W-what? How can you accept that?!' Right back to the outrage.

'Because I am not you. I do not have an ego so large that I think all those that die around me are my fault.' Jean's eyes flashed in warning when he tried to interrupt her. 'No, you will be silent and listen. I have sat here and taken your abuse and unfound accusations in silence. So you will give me the same curtisy!'

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she continued, 'You walked in here expecting to berate me for my actions like a naughty child. To accept your opinion as the best choice and to ignore my reasons for my actions. I am not your companion. I do not think you are the end all, be all authority there can be. Now will you let me tell you why I appeared to be in cahoots with the Cybermen, like you should have the second you walked in here?'

There was a heavy stillness in the console room as the Doctor stared at Jean. He had forgotten this woman before him was actually much older than he was. At that moment he felt like the naughty child she had alluded too. He closed his eyes and took a few moment to calm his breathing and emotions.

Considerably calmer and more sane he nodded for Jean to continue. She didn't start explaining immediately. She seemed to be weighing him with her eyes, looking for something only she could see.

'The TARDIS made a request and it envolved following Miss Hartigan until I could complete that request.' she simply stated. 'I was using a perception filter the entire time.'

'If they couldn't see you why didn't you do anything else?' He still didn't understand how she could stand by and not do anything.

'I have seen you become angered by others trying to force their moral standards on you. Why do you assume my morals are like yours?'

With those words she stood up and exited the console room leaving an introspective Time Lord behind her.

* * *

Well there is the end of The Next Doctor. Planet of the Dead will be coming after another chapter or two.

Please review and leave your thoughts.


	13. Chapter 13

Enjoy a closer look at the Doctor's thoughts from the end of the last chapter.

* * *

The dressing down the Doctor had received from Jean seemed to leave him flailing in confusion for a couple days. He didn't know how to react to the woman anymore.

They had been traveling together for a little more than a month and during that time he had come to see Jean as a quiet wallflower. Very different from his usual inquisitive, curious, brave and loud human companions.

Then again she was not his companion at all.

...

She had come into his life immediately after a multiversal crisis that left him emotionally shattered. A good momentary distraction from crushing depression and guilt but after, she sort of slid into the background and he had made no attempts to bring her forward.

He would have preferred (desperately wanted) to travel on his own but the TARDIS' declaration of friendship and threat of changing his travel coordinates cowed him into accepting another on his ship.

His TARDIS had always been more independenbroughtothers of her species but he could not recall any record of such a situation having occurred in the past. The amount of telepathic communication he could sense between the two of them was staggering. He had no clue what they conversed about and suspected he wouldn't even be able to understand their conversation if he got to listen in. The both of them were, as much as his Time Lord pride hated to admit, higher evolved telepaths then he. It would be like a human toddler listening to two physics professors having an in depth debate.

Jean was also so much older than he. She might have spent near 4 millennium isolated in the Void but she had told him her mind was active the entire time. She did not sleep for nearly 1,460,969 days. When he questioned her on what she had thought about during that time verbal communication in the many languages she had learned failed to have the right vocabulary to explain. She offered to telepathically convey some basics to him and the resulting migraine didn't abate for 3 days. The thoughts were too complex for his mind to process.

The fact a being other than himself had waltzed into his life and immediately struck a deep friendship with the time ship he had piloted for nearly a millennium urked him more then he cared to admit.

But maybe the TARDIS was just as lonely as he was? Maybe she longed to sing with her sisters again and Jean helped her with her company?

Those questions allowed the Doctor to let go of his jealousy over their close relationship.

...

He had willfully overlooked her because Jean made no attempt or effort to make herself a part of his life. He had accepted that because he did not want her to, too wrapped up in his brooding to want another companion or friend.

Because of that ignorance he now did not know how to react to the realization that Jean was definitely more than what he assumed.

Looking back on the adventures in which she had joined him, he now saw not a wallflower that stood in the background offering no help but an observer. An observer that took in everything with keen eyes, making offhand remarks that lead to world saving decisions. She had purposely let him take the spotlight while blending into the background.

The Cybermen was the first time he had noticed her actively working during an adventure.

He was aware that he had become much more reckless since the debacle with the Daleks. Risking his safety and life more often without thinking his plans through.

How many times had she saved him from his current apathy for his personal safety?

* * *

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	14. Chapter 14

A bit short for the episode but you will see why. Also get to see Jean interact with people other than the Doctor and Sexy.

* * *

The days following the Doctor's yelling rant were amusing for Jean.

The Doctor avoided her for two full days (sulking) before apologizing for his behavior. Jean had accepted his apology and warned him to think before he spoke in anger in the future. His facial expression made him look like a child caught with his hand in a sweets jar mixed with an adorable sad puppy.

Jean watched as he floundered trying to figure out how to act around her after his apology. He swung back and forth from trying to be her friend, watching from a distance and ignoring her completely. She offered him no clues on how she would have preferred to be treated. It was not in her character to direct her social relationships. Jean just let them evolve however they would and went with it.

Besides, if she chose to put in the effort to become his friend, she would wait until he was much more stable.

Both her and Sexy were becoming increasingly worried about the Time Lord. If he went into one of his brooding spells they both could feel the increasing darkness gathering in his emotions.

So they put more effort into making sure he didn't brood.

Sexy often changed their destinations to places and times which kept him occupied. When Jean felt him slipping into darker thoughts while in the ship, she searched him out and dropped random interesting objects, books and puzzles in areas he could easily find them.

He particularly liked the telepathic puzzle she had designed. It required thinking the right thing to move certain pieces in certain directions. Sexy confided that he would not solve it for centuries.

Their efforts did succeed if only a little bit. The Doctor was inviting her to join him more often to explore new places and taking time out of his day to find Jean and speak with her.

But Jean knew something bad was going to happen. Sexy had hinted that he stood to make a decision soon. Her telepathic word for decision held a series of complex negative emotions and an image of red sand.

...

Jean was reading a file the Doctor had "forgotten" to return to UNIT. It covered some of his adventures during his exile on Earth in the 1970s or possibly 80s. The dates were all rather ambiguous but the incidents were fascinating to read.

As she finished reading an incident titled 'The Ark in Space,' the Doctor came bounding into the console room with a huge smile on his face.

'So, I was thinking we put the old girl on random and see where she takes us today!'

'I'll bet you 50 Standard Credits we end up in London.' Jean dryly stated, not looking up from the UNIT file.

The Doctor's smile somehow got even bigger, 'All of time and space against one specific city? I'll take that bet!' he crowed happily.

He reached into his jacket pocket and rummaged around for a few seconds before slapping a Credit Stick onto the console with gusto. Jean did the same but at a more sedate pace. Putting the file into one of her trouser pockets (never know when you might get bored) she prepared for TARDIS flight.

When the time ship landed Jean watched the Doctor pull the monitor in front of him and check their location. His expression fell immediately.

'Oh that is unfair! You cheated!' he pointed a finger at Jean. She just blankly stared back.

'Have you seriously not noticed the inordinately large amount of times you end up in London?' she asked.

'Uh, well,' he scratched the back of his neck suddenly sheepish, 'Maybe? Oh alright! Yes I have but I still think you've cheated somehow!' He whined at the ceiling.

He went to grab his Credit Stick only to find it gone and Jean halfway out the door.

...

It turned out to be early evening on Easter Sunday, 2009.

Jean listened as the Doctor started lecturing about the history of Easter, comparing the differences between what the humans thought happened and what he had witnessed. She wasn't surprised he had something to do with it, he always had something to do with it. 'It' being any important historical date in human history. He really loved this planet.

They walked the streets and visited little shops near the area the TARDIS had landed. He bought himself a chocolate egg to nibble on. Jean wasn't hungry so she declined his offer to get her one.

Turned out to be a pretty boring evening until the Doctor decided he wanted to goto another part of the city which would require they take public transportation. Seems one of the many gadgets in his pockets had made the ping! noise he liked so much.

Jean had never been on a double decker bus and the Doctor insisted she experience it at least once before they investigate the ping! noise.

As they spotted a red bus down the street, police sirens started blaring loudly and both of them watched as a young woman came running out of an alleyway only to stop and take notice of all the gathered police in the area. Seeing the bus the young woman sprinted to board it.

Jean and the Doctor exchanged a knowing look before following after the young woman. This woman wasn't suspicious at all. Really.

The Doctor managed to board but Jean had tripped and fallen on the uneven street without him noticing. She looked up when the red bus pulled away from the sidewalk. Inside the bus the Doctor shrugged at her then pointed in the direction of the TARDIS from his seat beside the fleeing woman.

Jean headed back to the TARDIS. She had already grown bored with this area of London before the Doctor. No point in exploring anymore.

She had a date with a stolen, ahem misplaced, UNIT file.

...

Her reading was interrupted a short time later by a telephone in the console room.

'You've reached the TARDIS.' She answered distractedly. Zygons, what fascinating aliens...

'Jean!' Shouted the Doctor, blasting said person's poor ear drum. 'Oh! I am so glad to hear your monotone voice right now! Jean, I'm in a spot of trouble, wellll it's more than a spot, more like an entire stain of trouble...'

'Doctor, explain it to me in two sentences or your gob will waste precious time. I'm assuming it's another world ending situation considering we came to London.'

'Yes. Wait does that count as a sentence? It technically is one. Oh no, that's thre-'

'Doctor.' Jean's voice was definitely not monotone anymore.

'Stuck on a planet with a very hungry metal sting-ray storm. Need you to lock onto this phone call and bring the TARDIS to San Helios, Scorpion Nebula.' He rushed out.

Jumping into action pressing buttons and flipping switches. Jean locked onto the Doctor's phone while saying, 'We will be there shortly.' Then hung up when she activated the dematerialization sequence.

The ride was a little rough from her inexperience. The TARDIS had taught her but Jean hadn't needed to pilot before now but she succeeded in landing within feet of where the Doctor's phone signal came from.

Jean shuddered in revulsion once Sexy finished materialzation. The place she had landed did not feel right.

So much death! The sand! The fear! Whispers, whispering of the dead. Whispers, whispers, whispers...

The Doctor snapped her out of the trance by loudly entering the TARDIS, 'Christina, I'll be right back! Need to talk to Jea-' He stopped when he noticed her haunted gaze.

'So you can sense it then?' Jean nodded too shaken to speak.

'You need to stay in the TARDIS.' His voice deadly serious.

'The suns near this planet have amplified and created a psychic field that, for lack of a better term, remembers the deaths of over 100 billion people. If you go outside the TARDIS it will drive you mad in minutes.'

Jean nodded again and took a deep breath trying to ignore the whispering. 'You needed to talk to me?'

The Doctor eyed her for a second before launching into an explaination, 'The ping! detector was picking up an incoming wormhole. The bus went through the wormhole and we came out here. The planet San Helios. There is a swarm of thousands of metal sting-ray creatures that eat anything, and I mean anything, bearing down on us right now.' He punctuated with a decisive hand jesture, pointing to the floor.

'We need to get everyone in the TARDIS and skedaddle (remind me to never use that word again) back to Earth where the wormhole sucked the bus up. Oh! And Christina, the woman fleeing from the coppers, is a thief.' He finished with a bright smile.

'This is why I expect the worst when you land us in London.' She deadpanned.

'Oi!'

His outraged face was worth the bad joke.

...

The thief, Christina, sauntered right into the TARDIS shortly after the Doctor went to talk to some aliens. She gave the console room a once over and dismissed it as unimportant. Jean could feel the young woman's selfishness and superiority radiating off her from across the room.

When she spotted Jean standing at the center console she started in surprise, then approached her.

'When he said Jean I thought he was talking about a man.' She laughed lightly. The insult was not lost on Jean.

'Lovely to meet you. My name is Christina.' She held out her hand.

Jean pretended not to notice the extended limb by keeping her attention on the center console. This young woman's emotions made her rather ugly, despite her physical appearance.

Christina pulled back her hand and her emotions shifted to nervousness. 'Uh, so you work with the Doctor?'

'No.' Jean replied and glanced at the young woman. Apparently the effect of her non expression and old eyes unnerved the girl because her aura spiked once with fear.

It was intentional on Jean's part. She was fully aware of the effect she could have on people and those trying to take advantage of or hurt Jean and the Doctor tended to instinctually feel fear and guilt in varying degrees. Everyone else found it simply fascinating or harmlessly unnerving.

Christina ignored her instinct and plowed forward, 'Are you two together then?' She asked casually.

'You're not good with subtlety are you?' Jean asked dismissively without removing her fake concentration from the central console.

Their conversation ended with the return of the Doctor and two fly-like aliens.

'Took some convincing to get our Tritovore friends to leave their ship.' He said with his manic grin. 'We'll have to drop them off on their home world when this is sorted. Right! Now we need to pick up our other stranded bus riders and figure out how to close that wormhole!'

He ushered the two Tritovores over to a coral column as they started clicking excitedly about the interior of the TARDIS. Then quickly moved to the center console and started pulling levers and pushing buttons at high speed.

'Everyone hang on!'

The flight was short and bumpy. The Doctor rushed out the doors as soon as the TARDIS landed and moment later a group of humans entered the doors. Only to freeze upon seeing the interior of the blue box.

A young black male managed to stutter out, 'It's bigger on the inside!'

'In, in, in! Everyone get inside. No time to waste.' He giggled at his last comment before closing the doors.

Jean started the dematerialization process then turned her attention to the older black female who was looking around the room in a daze.

'Oh, she's just beautiful.' The woman murmured.

When the older woman's eyes landed on Jean near the console. She started and seemed to zone out, her eyes losing focus.

Jean could feel it. The woman was radiating something similar to what Sexy used as an undercurrent when speaking of the future. The woman was going to try and tell Jean her future.

When the woman's mouth opened Jean loudly said, 'No.' In her most commanding tone. It was clearly heard throughout the console room over the noises of the TARDIS' return trip to Earth.

Her and the Doctor's questioning eyes met briefly before she moved carefully to stand in front of the slightly dazed woman.

'Were you going to tell me my future?' She questioned in monotone. Jean rocked slightly side to side with the flight movement waiting for the woman to answer.

'I- Uh,' The woman paused to gather herself. Whomever this was questioning her, scared the living daylights out of her. 'Y-yes, I was.'

Jean glanced at the Doctor to see his eyes widen in horror. The amplified psychic abilities this woman had because of the planet's suns would have made her prophecy very likely true. Humans from the early 21st century spouting out true prophecy would end in disaster. Thank goodness it would fade quickly when they got back to Earth.

Jean watched as the poor older woman almost flinched expecting Jean to hurt her for her answer. Her aura sending out waves of fear.

In the most gentle tone she could speak with (which wasn't much). Jean advised, 'Never tell anyone their future. No matter what you see: Do Not Tell Prophecy.'

The terrified woman nodded before turning to tightly hug her husband. Jean received a glare from the man for scaring his wife but she didn't care. Turning around she noticed everyone's attention was still on her.

'If you haven't noticed, we have arrived.' Came her bland response to their stares.

That started everyone into action. The Doctor gave her a grateful smile before pulling the doors open and ushering the humans out. He told the Tritovores to stay in the console room and not touch anything, they would be back soon.

They had arrived at what looked like an underground tunnel entrance. Barriers had been erected just before the road went underground. The barriers were manned by a group of soldiers standing ready with their guns aimed at the tunnel. Police and military vehicles crowded the closed road.

'I'm going to go help close the wormhole. Don't wander off!'

'When have I ever?' she asked and brought him up short.

Jean shooed him away to help before leaning on the side of the TARDIS and watching the soldiers go about their duties. A few tried to herd her over to the humans being scanned for radiation. She just stared at them with a blank face, causing them to back away and finger their guns, until she activated her personal perception field and took a circuit around the back of the TARDIS. Effectively causing her to disappear.

A screech alerted her to metal sting-rays coming through the wormhole. She could hear the Doctor yelling in alarm inside one of the mobile labs.

Crouching down next to one of the military vehicles to avoid the soldiers gun fire. She observed as they shot down sting-ray after sting-ray until all were killed.

Once the danger was over she stood up but remained where she was to continue her observation of the humans around her.

The Doctor had returned after getting a love confession from a rather enthusiastic scientist. He was now leaning against the doors of the TARDIS observing much like she was. He looked a little morose from what Jean could see.

Jean heard Christina's annoyed, 'That's quite enough of that.' directed at the group of scientists scanning the returning humans. She made her way to the Doctor at a sprint.

'Love the space ship. Right then. Off we go. Come on, Doctor, show me the stars.'

'No.' He shook his head.

'What?'

'I said no.'

'But I thought we were...' she trailed off.

'You were wrong.'

Jean had moved from the vehical to stand behind Christina.

'We're surrounded by police. I'll go to prison!'

'Yeah.'

'But you travel with that woman Jean. What's another person joining you two?'

'Jean doesn't travel with me.' His eyes flickered to her over Christina's shoulder. 'Though people have travelled with me and I've lost them. Lost them all. Never again.'

Christina's face scrunched in confusion then alarm as a cop handcuffed her and placed her under arrest. Jean and the Doctor watched her get pulled to a waiting police vehical.

'Doctor?' Asked the black woman from the bus. He turned to face her and gave her a small smile.

'You take care now.'

'You too. Chops and gravy, lovely.' The Doctor enthused.

'No, but you be careful. Because your song is ending, sir.'

Jean watched the Doctor's face lose its grin and turn white. 'What do you mean?'

'It is returning. It is returning through the dark. And then, Doctor? Oh, but then he will knock four times.'

The Doctor seemed to freeze in place and Jean turned off her perception field. The woman squeaked in alarm seeing her appear out of no where glaring furiously at her. Every human to witness that expression on Jean's face suddenly froze as their survival instinct kicked in telling them to flee.

The older woman and her husband fled the area as fast as they could. Jean's eyes boring burning holes in the back of their heads as the left.

Idiotic humans! Her mind raged. That woman had no idea what she had just done. What Jean was going to have to deal with. The TARDIS, for the first time that week, sent her a telepathic hug and they both lemented what was to come.

Even the Doctor flinched slightly when she turned her attention to him without calming down first.

He wondered idlely if that was how people felt when he glared at them. No, he decided, her glare was infinitely more terrible.

* * *

Yup, Christina is going to prison.

Please review and leave your thoughts.


	15. Chapter 15

E-man-dy-S: Thank you for your review. I am aware of the spelling/grammar/sentence structure errors. I have no beta and have to check for errors by myself so I can't catch everything.

I've decided to put their actual thoughts in (these). For better understanding.

Unless otherwise stated; Jean always speaks in monotone.

[1]My comments about the TARDIS are actually science as Humans understand right now. "Imagining the 10th dimension" on YouTube does a good job explaining the theories in laymen's terms. If you take the time to watch it: Give yourself a minute to try and imagine how truly complex a TARDIS is and then imagine fighting a war in more than 3 dimensions. (It is a terrifying concept.)

Surprise surprise! Bet you didn't see this episode coming. A grand adventure awaits! Please enjoy!

* * *

The Doctor remained utterly silent as they dropped off the Tritovores on their home planet.

Jean observed as his emotions stormed darkly around him. She didn't say anything until they were floating in the Time Vortex.

'You've heard those words before. Your song is ending.'

He violently flinched at her words but did not respond. He was leaning on the console, his entire body taunt with stress. His hands clutching it so hard his knuckles were white.

'What do you think it means?' She finally asked.

Jean was entirely focused on the Doctor. It looked as if his body would spring into action any second. He didn't though, his body seemed to sag at her question, all energy leaving him before he quietly answered her.

'My death.'

'Are you sure?'

'Yes.' He said so softly she almost didn't hear.

The Doctor left the room after his reply. Looking the part of a man on death row heading for the gallows.

Once he was out of hearing range Jean let loose an almost feral shout of anger and kicked the console hard.

'Idiotic human!' She shouted, trembling with restrained rage.

Sexy shared her dissaproval about kicking her console.

"I'm sorry, my dear." Jean said as she patted the console in apology. "I have never been this angry before. I'm not sure what to do."

The ship responded with acceptance and future worry for her Thief.

"I know." She trailed off, her anger leaving her. Jean just stood in the console room taking comfort from the time ship. They both remained silent for several minutes.

'It's coming isn't it?' She said out loud, voice bland but held a barely noticeable tone of dread.

'What's coming?' Interjected the unexpected voice of the Doctor.

Jean's head snapped to the Doctor as he walked into the console room. She mentally went over the conversation. Even if he had heard them, everything but her last question was sent telepathically.

'I was asking her if she had sent a book to my rooms. I had requested it days ago and it's still no where to be found.' She lied smoothy.

'I'm sure it'll turn up!' His voice oddly cheerful from what it had been a few minutes ago. 'Patience, as humans say, is a virtue.'

...

She watched him sling shot between crushing helplessness and manic utterly fake happiness for the next week (Did he really think she believed his fake smile? The idiot, she was an empath.) His mood swings often giving her whiplash with their sudden changes. He'd be geared up to go on an adventure then suddenly his body would sag, listless, and he would leave her presence without a word, radiating depression.

When her unbelievably high level of patience finally ran out he was in his depressed mood. She had waited long enough for him to snap himself out of it.

She saught him out in the library and while she browsed (not really) some books, near the favorite chair he currently occupied, she spoke two sentences in the most bland uncaring tone her physical body could produce.

'Here lies the Doctor, Last of the Time Lords, died via Pity Party. What a shame.'

She then strolled calmly out of the library with shocked (angry) brown eyes following her every move. Sometimes she really enjoyed the fact she had kept the monotone voice. (If that didn't get him out of his funk she was going to take drastic measures.)

...

Jean didn't see him for three days but she could sense his chaotic emotions leveling out. When she saw him again he was calmly drinking tea in the kitchen. She didn't say a word as she prepared her own food and then sat across the table from him. They were silent the entire meal.

When she moved to pick up her empty plate and utensils he spoke quietly.

'Thank you.'

The Doctor had the honor of being the first person to ever see Jean give a real, happy smile.

The TARDIS gleefully got his gobsmacked expression recorded for blackmail purposes.

...

They started traveling again. Sometimes Jean would join him, sometimes not. She spent her time invested in her own pursuits. Most often reading books from a list Sexy had given her. The old girl was concentrating on an odd combination of galactic law and TARDIS repair. The books were actually some of the most normal that the ship recommended she read, if "How to Take Care of your Precious Babel Fish Shoal" was considered normal.

The Doctor was much better at managing his emotions and seemed much more stable than before. It appeared Jean's words had a huge effect on him. He brooded less and Jean watched the haunted gleem lessen from his eyes. She still left him things to occupy his mind though, no reason to stop something he enjoyed.

The TARDIS didn't speak with Jean for the next month. It wasn't a concern, the old girl couldn't always be in the "now," for lack of a better term, this was just the longest the two hadn't spoken since Jean came to this universe. One of the first things Sexy had explained was how her consciousness existed in the past, the present and the future all at once. Sometimes her attention would wander. [1]

The only interaction between them happened on a normal (as it gets) morning. Jean had gotten out of bed to find a small leather journal on the night stand with a note on top. 'Some things must be remembered.' said the note. She had asked Sexy what it was for/meant but got no reply. Jean decided to keep the journal and a pencil with her at all times. Sexy never gave cryptic clues without them meaning something very important.

...

'I don't know what's worse, Doctor.' commented Jean dryly, 'The fact we're going to London... again.' The Doctor gave her a petulant glare, 'Or the fact we're going to primitive London.'

The Doctor took a moment before replying. No matter how he argued, conjoled or begged, he couldn't change her mind: Jean believed all their trips to London would become "end of the world/universe/multiverse" situations.

'Oh c'mon!' he whined childishly, 'Let me prove to you that London isn't a bad place! I even checked the TARDIS data banks to make sure nothing really important happened in the city during the year we're visiting.'

Jean eyed him suspiciously. The last time he said that the trip ended up with her being kidnapped and nearly married to an alien warlord whose species found intimidating females the height of attractiveness. This was Earth though and humans did not find her tendency for no facial expression and unfathomable eye-glares attractive.

'This is your only chance to prove that your trips to London, Earth do not all end in disasters or us meeting renegade aliens.'

His smile was positively face breaking. (Should his face be able to do that?)

He set the coordinates and they both braced themselves for the usual bumpy TARDIS flight. When Sexy finished materialization the Doctor advised Jean to change into more period appropriate clothing and got a glare in return.

'If it will make you and the primitive humans more comfortable I can follow you with my perception field active.' She suggested. The Doctor apparently missed the slight sarcasm under the dryness of her inflection.

'Oh that is brilliant!' He exclaimed before becoming jealous and whining, 'You always get to witness the best history when you do that. Why can't you add me in your field? I know can do that.'

'The TARDIS expressly forbid me from doing that after you let Nikola Tesla break her top light last month. Seems she's still angry with you. I wouldn't anyway; watching you flail around making a fool out of yourself gives my life meaning.'

He pouted a moment before suddenly becoming excited again. 'Never mind that! We're going to explore mid 1600s England! Allons-y!' he exclaimed and bounced out the TARDIS.

Jean didn't fail to notice his avoidance of the city name they were visiting.

She followed his exuberant exit of the TARDIS into a castle courtyard. Taking the time to examine and appreciate the architecture of the period as the Doctor began lecturing her on the local history, culture and people.

'1562! Jean Ribault establishes a colony in Florida, the Council of Trent closes after 17 years and The Church of England defines its doctrinal stance with the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion. Queen Elizabeth the First is currently ruling the country...' Jean filters him out as they stroll through the castle courtyard.

He gets a few questioning glances for looking like he's talking to himself but none of the surrounding humans give more than a passing glance. Strolling behind him Jean allows her telepathic field to wash over the castle inhabitants and finds a particularly strong female mind in the castle keep. Elizabeth the First is very much ahead of the other human females of this era.

Jean's body freezes when she feels distinctly nonhuman minds under the castle. Giving the back of the Doctor's head an unseen glare she unfreezes her body and continues to follow after him unnoticed by the humans around them.

She doesn't tell him of her discovery. Jean wants to see his face when he realizes her opinion about the dangers of visiting London are absolutely true. The alien minds are not moving from their position and she would never admit it vocally but she enjoyed watching the Doctor figure out a mystery.

The Doctor turns around, bouncing on his toes with hands in his pockets, to address Jean excitedly, 'Want to meet the current Monarchy? From the number of guards stationed around the area I'd say she's in the castle.'

'Very well.'

...

A quick flash of the psychic paper, the Doctor suddenly becomes a visiting ambassador from the prestigious City of TARDIS and he is being introduced to the Queen. Jean his unseen shadow.

He is introduced in a private meeting room adjacent to a large throne room. The Queen apparently not feeling up to pomp and circumstance on the day of their visit. The Doctor bows lowly before speaking.

'Your Majesty.' He states, 'Thank you for allowing an audience.'

Elizabeth the First, bright red hair and elaborate dress, was sitting behind a large desk cluttered with parchment at the opposite end of the room. A large hearth behind her, unlit because of the warm weather, the windows and candles providing the room with light.

'Oh, do not bow! I am tired of formal address today.' Her hand waved in a dismissive gesture.

She gives the Doctor's clothes a once over and then casts a suspicious stare at his face. Jean moved closer to the walls away from the Doctor. If the Queen was suspicious her perception field could be seen through. She silently moved around the room till she was nearly behind the woman, out of her line of sight.

'I cannot help but notice my guards only gave me your title sir. So, I demand an answer. Doctor who?'

The Doctor gives the enigmatically pleased smile he always gives for that particular question and boyishly replies, 'Oh, it's just the Doctor. Nothing else, just Doctor.'

His smile turns harmless as he inspects the meeting room and he bounces on his toes seemingly unaware of her suspicion.

His smile freezes for half a second when one of his pockets makes an almost inaudible high pitched ding! noise. His eyes flicker to Jean for a moment and she nods once as acknowledgement of her awareness that there is something amiss in the area.

The Queen either hadn't heard the ding! or was ignoring it as she was still watching the Doctor suspiciously.

'If you will not give me your proper name I will be forced to have you removed! I will not waste my time dealing with unimportant visitors.'

'Oh but you don't want to do that your Majesty!' The Doctors tone had changed to what Jean labeled as the "let me intrigue you with my mystery" voice. It always worked on anyone who wasn't an evil basterd and even a few of those evil basterds fell for it too. She had no idea how he did it. (Probably a lot of practice.)

'I just wanted to meet the most famous Queen in all of English history.' He continued, seemingly casual.

(Flattery combined with that voice should be considered a dangerous weapon.)

Elizabeth suddenly flushed at the compliment eyeing the Doctor in a new light. Jean scoffed silently, human females.

'And who might you be to offer me such platitudes?'

'Oh, just an old traveler. Was in the area,' he rambled and made vague hand gestures to the walls and floor, 'and thought I would stop by to meet you, your Majesty.' He gave the woman a winning smile.

'Good ol' Queen Bess, your achievements will be remembered, oh yes! Brilliant public speaker, loved by her subjects and will be for a verrrry long time. Leading your country into an era of prosperity so good they name it after you. Bravo!'

Jean watched as his vague flattery of the Queen's future worked extremely well on the red haired woman. She thanked the Doctor's people for giving him the training to avoid (quite spectacularly) giving out future knowledge. Vague references were as far as he ever went when doing this. Her eyes darkened remembering the idiotic human from their last visit to London.

The Doctor must have seen her eyes darken because he misjudged the expression, cutting his rambling flattery short. It was enough though, as the Queen was now completely intrigued.

'I find myself enchanted, good sir. Would you join me for the midday meal?'

Jean stared at the woman (that was rather forward of her). Elizabeth's emotions were rapidly changing from intrigue to romantic crush. Were the the nonhuman minds she detected affecting the Queen somehow? Many species/beings the Doctor and her had encountered could manipulate humans easily in many different ways.

She would have to ask which detector had made the ding! noise. The worry in his eyes giving Jean enough of a clue to be cautious.

...

The Doctor spent the entire meal flirting and flattering Elizabeth, the woman loved it. It seemed as if she did not get this kind of attention from men very often. Jean was aware human females required some male attention to help their self esteem reach its highest possible level but the speed the Queen had accepted the flattery was alarming.

The Doctor excused himself after the meal saying he needed to freshen up and gave a promise to return shortly. Jean followed him into the stone hallway, still keeping to the shadows, and joined him when he ducked into an unoccupied room.

'Which detector went off?' Jean asked once the heavy wooden door was shut.

'Shape-shifter DNA. The Queen might not be the Queen at all. Did you know?'

Jean was pleased he was not accusing her for keeping information from him.

'I sensed nonhuman minds in the castle when we were in the courtyard but I do not know if Elizabeth is a shape-shifter. Her emotions changed at an alarming rate from suspicion to romantic interest but they are still human emotions. I have not encountered enough shape-shifters to know if they also copy mental or emotional signatures.'

The Doctor's eyes widened in surprise. 'Romantic, really?' he squeaked.

Jean gave him an unimpressed stare. 'Humans and other alien females (even some males) fall in love with you all the time. How can you not notice when you flirt and flatter them so thoroughly?'

'Does it really happen that much?' He squeaked again, not believing her.

'Yes.'

'Oh.'

They stood in the empty room for a few moments. The Doctor awkwardly; Jean allowing him his reaction.

She took the initiative to continue. 'We're off topic. We need to find out what kind of shape-shifters we're dealing with, if the Queen is now a shape-shifting alien and what they want.'

The Doctor nodded in agreement.

'And: I told you so.' She deadpanned.

The Doctor palmed his face, 'Okay! Blimely, you were right!' He threw his hands in the air in exasperation. 'London trips always turn out weird.' He admitted with a long glare.

Still glaring he states, 'Now the plan. Hmm, I'm going to stay with Elizabeth since she's probably a shape-shifty alien. You can either stay with me or search the castle for other shape-shifters.'

'I'll find out what species we are dealing with. It won't take long, most of the nonhuman minds are gathered in the same area of the castle. I'll meet you back at the TARDIS.'

They parted ways, the Doctor going to flirt and charm the possibly not-Elizabeth and Jean stealthily heading in the direction of the castle dungeons.

...

She took a few wrong turns because the castle layout was unfamiliar but listening in on passing guard patrols gave her the directions she needed to find the dungeons.

When she was located the heavy door that led to the group of aliens she paused to press her ear against it. There was deep growling voices and shuffling feet beyond the door.

Spreading out her telepathic field she found no minds within 10 feet of the door and quietly removed the latch. Slowly pushing the door inward, she stopped when it squeaked, none of the aliens noticed and she assessed the space between the door and frame as enough for her to squeeze through.

Keeping to the shadows and moving silently through the dungeon entrance she found herself on an overlook above a group of red sucker covered aliens. They were monitoring data filled screens that were fitted into organic computers.

She recognized the species as Zygon from her perusal of UNIT files and the TARDIS data base.

Having seen enough she slipped out of the dungeons and made her way back to the TARDIS.

...

Later in the afternoon the Doctor returned to the TARDIS with a horse riding Queen in tow. He shrugged at Jean's unimpressed stare and whispered lowly enough for only her to hear.

'She weedled it out of me somehow. I'm honestly not quite sure how she did it but she wanted to see the TARDIS and take a short trip with me.'

Jean's gaze sharpened, 'You want to take a Zygon copy of Queen Elizabeth the First into your time and space ship for a trip?' she laconically questioned.

'Oooo, so it's Zygons!' he excitedly stated, gleam in his eyes, ignoring the rest of her question. 'Haven't seen a Zygon in, oh, around a century and yes, to keep an eye on her and get a better scan from the detector.'

'My love, are you finished preparing your craft for departure?' Jean heard the Queen regally inquire from outside the TARDIS. "My love?" Jean mouthed at the Doctor and he shrugged helplessly.

He turned around, leaving the ship, to grab the horses reins leading both Queen and horse into the TARDIS a moment later.

'Oh, oh, watch your head. A little low there.'

The Queen had the usual human reaction to the interior of the TARDIS but Jean paid her no mind. She was inspecting the white horse the woman was riding. It was a horse but it was not radiating the uncomplex and simple emotions of an animal. (Well, at least she knew who, well, what was a Zygon.)

She couldn't tell the Doctor without alerting the Queen to her presence and also suspecting the horse could see her. Its eyes had stopped momentarily on her when it gave the interior of the console room a once over.

Keeping a close eye on the horse-Zygon she stood still as the Doctor piloted the TARDIS an hour into the future and to a field outside the city as requested by the Queen. After landing he mounted the horse and rode out of the TARDIS doors with the Queen.

'Allons-y! There you go, your Majesty, what did I tell you? Bigger on the inside.'

'The door isn't. You nearly took my head off. It's normally me who does that.' Elizabeth quipped.

...

She kept an eye on the horse-Zygon and it warily watched her standing a few feet beside the picnicking Doctor and Queen. They were both popping grapes into their mouths when Elizabeth spoke.

'Tell me, Doctor, why I'm wasting my time on you. I have wars to plan.'

'You have a picnic to eat.' He replied, eating another grape.

'You could help me.' She offered.

'Well, I'm helping you eat the picnic.'

'But you have a stomach for war. This face has seen conflict, it's as clear as day.'

The Doctor's emotions darkened. (That was the wrong thing to say.) 'Oh, I've seen conflict like you wouldn't believe. But it wasn't this face. But never mind that, your Majesty. Up on your feet. Up, up.'

He stood up and pulled the protesting queen from the picnic blanket without her permission. 'How dare you! I am the Queen of England.'

'I'm not English.' He got down on one knee and grabbed her hand. 'Elizabeth, will you marry me?'

(This was his plan?) Jean just watched the scene, her face blank, and felt the horse-Zygon give a pulse of amusement. (Oh great, even the sucker covered alien knew how absurd this was.)

Elizabeth looked overjoyed, 'Oh, my dear sweet love. Of course I will.'

'Ah, gotcha!' The Doctor jumped to his feet.

'My love?'

'One, the real Elizabeth would never have accepted my marriage proposal. Two, the real Elizabeth would notice when I just casually mentioned having a different face. But then the real Elizabeth isn't a shape-shifting alien from outer space. And...'

He pulled out a clockwork gizmo from his pocket and held it in the Queen's face.

'Ding.' He said with gusto.

'What's that?'

'It's a machine that goes ding.' His expression was proud of his invention. 'Made it myself. Lights up in the presence of shape-shifter DNA. Ooo. Also it can microwave frozen dinners from up to twenty feet and download comics from the future. I never know when to stop.' (No, no he doesn't.)

'My love, I do not understand.'

'I'm not your love, and yes you do. You're a Zygon.' He accused seriously.

'A Zygon?' The Queen questioned.

Jean felt the shift in emotions from the horse-Zygon. With the Doctor's claim that Elizabeth was a Zygon, he had just told the alien he was on to whatever the alien and its fellows were planning.

Jean watched as the horse-Zygon turned a shade of pink and gained faint round indentations. It darkened in color and continued to transform as the Doctor spoke to Elizabeth.

'Oh, stop it. It's over. A Zygon, yes. Big red rubbery thing covered in suckers. Surprisingly good kisser. Think the real Queen of England would just decide to share her throne with any old handsome bloke in a tight suit, just cos he's got amazing hair and a nice horse?'

He glances where the horse used to be and spots the Zygon. His face slacked and Jean could feel the realization from where she stood.

'Oh. It was the horse. I'm going to be King.' He faintly comments, then grabs Elizabeth's hand. 'Run!'

Jean runs after them as the Doctor explains to Elizabeth what is happening.

'We're being attacked by a shape-shifting alien from outer space, formerly disguised as my horse.'

Jean doesn't pay attention to the rest of the conversation, too focused on the pursuing Zygon, until the Doctor grabs her hand, pulling her into a run, while muttering, ' Oh, good work, Doctor. Nice one. The Virgin Queen? So much for history.'

'What did you do?' She asks as they run through the forest.

'I didn't do anything! It was all her, I sware!' He states while scanning the area with the DNA gizmo. 'I don't know why people keep kissing me! They just do.'

They continue running until his gizmo starts dinging constantly.

There's a very large rabbit on a tree stump in front of them. Jean senses the rabbit's basic animal mind and tries to tell the Doctor but he's already accusing the rabbit of being a Zygon. She just crosses her arms and waits for him to finish looking like a mad man.

'Whatever you've got planned, forget it. I'm the Doctor. I'm nine hundred and four years old. I'm from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. I am the Oncoming Storm, the Bringer of Darkness, and you are basically just a rabbit, aren't you?'

He glances at Jean and sees her stance. 'Okay, carry on. Just a general warning.' She had to give it to the Time Lord. He knew how to shrug off his little mistakes.

'Sometimes I wonder, Doctor, if you were dropped on your head as an infant.' She deadpanned.

The Doctor's face is priceless and he tries to respond indignantly but a cry of, 'Doctor!' from farther in the forest changes his plan.

'Elizabeth!' He shouted, running off.

Jean doesn't immediately follow him, needing a break from the crazy. Turning off the perception field, she moves over to the simple rabbit, then leans down and runs her hand through its soft fur.

'It's like baby sitting sometimes, I swear. But it's going to be worth it in the end.' She tells the rabbit.

'If it isn't, I'll shave off his precious hair.'

With one last pat she turns and walks in the direction of the Doctor's mental signature. Arriving at his location as a swirling gold vortex appears in the air. Both of their faces lose color upon seeing it form, knowing what it is.

'Back, all of you, now! That's a time fissure. A tear in the fabric of reality. Anything could happen.'

A red fez flies out of the fissure landing at the Doctor's feet. Jean watches him pick the fez up, looking at it slightly bewildered. (Only he could encounter a dangerous space/time anomaly and have it spit out a hat.)

'For instance, a fez.'

Then a man wearing a purple waist coat flies out of the fissure and lands with a loud, 'Oof!' The Doctor puts the fez on his head and watches the man get to his feet.

'Who is this man?' questions Elizabeth, the second Elizabeth notices Jean watching the outrageous scene from a few feet off, 'And who is this woman?' Demands the other Elizabeth.

Jean studies the two Queens. Their minds are different. (Well, at least Zygons don't copy minds and emotions. Great actors though.)

'That's just what I was wondering.' mutters the Doctor. 'No, no, wait, wait, wait, that's Jean. Got no idea who that guy is though.'

'Oh, that is skinny. That is proper skinny. I've never seen it from the outside. It's like a special effect.' The man from the fissure says to himself.

Jean's eyes might have widened if she did not have such superb control over her facial expressions. She recognized that man. He was the future Doctor. (What in the multiverses was he doing here?)

'Oi!' Future Doctor slapped the fez off the Current Doctor's head and put it on himself. 'Ha! Matchstick man.' He sounded utterly pleased with the situation.

Current Doctor's eyes showed his disbelief, 'Your not...'

The Future and Current Doctors pulled out their sonic screwdrivers at the same time and Jean stopped paying attention to the male bravado contest and posturing after that.

Having two of the same mind in her telepathic field was causing a blurr effect when she concentrated on them too much. She had never "felt" anything like it before. They were both the Doctor but not. One mind would float to the front of her attention then the other would, alternating at high speed giving her nausea.

Jean needed to stop concentrating on her telepathy or she was going to react badly.

'...Jean with you?' The Future Doctor saying her name helped knock her out of the daze.

She refocused on the immediate surroundings to see the two Doctors spot her where she had stopped moving when the fissure appeared.

The Future Doctor's face brightened and produced a big smile as he moved to stand in front of her. Current Doctor watched their interaction very closely.

'Ohhh, it is so good to see you this young again, Jean!' His entire body seemed to vibrate with the chance of inspecting her. He gestured wildly when he spoke and tended to lean back and forth watching her closely.

'You- I mean future you is off on her own adventure today so you don't have to worry about spoilers, uh, fore-future stuff, err, whatever! I know how much you hate people spouting out your future.' He whispered like it was a secret. Then smiled happily and grabbed her hands in his.

He squeezed them both in greeting. Surprise showed on his face for milliseconds and he quickly glanced at her right hand. He tried to act like it didn't happen but Jean saw it all.

'That was not subtle at all, Doctor. Try harder next time.' She responded blandly. 'It is good to see you again too.'

'Sorry.' He grumbled like a guilty child. 'Hey, wait- how di- you shouldn't know me yet!' He accused loudly.

Her response was to turn him around and drag him back to the Current Doctor.

'No more social visits during a crisis slash mystery. That always gives the bad guys the advantage.' Future Doctor smiled enjoying her dry humor, while Current Doctor glared at her comment.

She pointed at the fissure. 'Get to work.'

A minute and a half of arguing later, Jean was very thankful he didn't meet himself very often. The insults thrown at each other were both comical and utterly irritating. If Jean met her past or future self she knew the meeting would consist of very few words.

'Doctor, are you there?' (She was going to kiss the owner of the random female voice if they ever met.)

'Ah, hello, Clara. Can you hear me?' said Future Doctor, walking closer to the fissure.

'Yeah, it's me. Sound cut off for a minute but we can hear you now. Where are you?'

The Future Doctor turned expectant eyes on the Current Doctor, 'England, 1562.'

'Who are you talking to?' asked Clara.

The Doctors glanced at each other, responding simultaneously, 'Myself.'

'Can you come back through?' questioned a different female voice.

'Physical passage may not be possible in both directions. Its...' The Future Doctor's attention went to his headwear, 'Ah! Hang on. Fez incoming!' he shouted before pitching the fez into the fissure.

'Nothing here.' said Clara after a few seconds.

'So where did it go?'

Then the arguing started again. Rubbing her forehead Jean interrupted them, 'Doctors! I'm going to search for Elizabeth since you two seem to have forgotten about her.'

She got distracted affirminations as replies and set off into the woods toward the only human mind in the area.

...

Elizabeth's emotions were terror and willpower moving into shock.

Jean sprinted as fast as she could to get to the terrified monarch. The trees were far enough apart that she figured out the situation before arriving at the woman's side.

She saw Elizabeth standing over her Zygon twin holding a small golden blade in her hand. The poor woman was staring toward the body but not seeing it, obviously in shock.

'You Majesty?' She asked, holding her hands up as a sign of peace. The Queen did not respond.

'You Majesty!' She said, tone harder more commanding. The Queen turned frightened eyes to her. 'Everything is fine ma'am. It's dead.'

'I know... It is not the killing but the face that haunts me.' stated the Queen, her voice gaining strength with each word.

Jean paused, had the Queen committed murder or suicide? (Thoughts for later.)

Regaining all her bearings and regal air; Elizabeth squared her shoulders and eyed Jean's attire.

'You are with the Doctor are you not? He named you Jean?'

She nods.

'Then you can assist me, fair Jean. This... Zygon summoned the guards and issued orders in my name. My guards now believe me bewitched by the Doctor. This situation eludes me. I would have your advice to remedy that which I cannot grasp.'

She stared at the monarch only a moment before directing her attention to the dead Zygon-Elizabeth.

'Return to the Doctor. Your guards will be there to arrest him. If you demand his arrest they will think you have broken the spell and are no longer bewitched by him.'

It was Jean's turn to eye the Queen. Her second idea was risky.

'You have more insights. Well, speak them!' Elizabeth demanded.

Jean motioned to the dead Zygon. 'I am aware of a large group of these creatures in your castle dungeons and I am pretty sure you don't want them there. I have an idea but it is initially very risky for you, your Majesty.'

'Explain your reasoning and I will decide if it is 'risky' for myself or not.' Elizabeth was clearly disturbed by the fact there were more aliens in her castle.

'I don't think Zygons can tell each other apart after they choose their forms. So you might be able to walk right into the dungeons and they will think you are this dead Zygon here. If you succeed in infiltration, you can find out why they are living in your castle and most likely how to remove them.'

The Queen assessed Jean with her eyes again. (We're having an eye-off. How odd.)

'I accept your reasoning. Now let us depart from this morbid scene. We must keep my guard and the Doctor from any rash action.' Elizabeth decisively stated.

The Queen started moving in the direction the Doctors were located, automatically expecting her to follow. Jean didn't move and called to the brave woman.

'I am going to trust you with this. I need to get the TARDIS back to the castle. I will be in the room you first met the Doctor when you return. Good luck, your Majesty.'

...

Sitting in the Queen's study was pretty boring. She had been aware she'd have to wait. Not knowing how long it took to march prisoners (the Doctors) from the forest to the castle had meant only space travel in the TARDIS.

She amused herself by writing this adventure in her leather journal. More than one Doctor in the same time and place was to be remembered and she also kept track of the Zygon minds in the castle. Knowing that their minds did not gain human mental signatures when shape-shifted really made things easier.

When the Doctors got in range of her telepathic field she almost wasn't surprised by a third Doctor being added to the group. (Honestly. The situations he gets himself in.) She toned down her field to save herself the headache they caused her.

The Queen strolled into the room a few moments sensing the Doctors.

'You have my sincere gratitude. Your plan has succeeded thus far. The Doctor and two others have been sequestered in the Tower of London and I will be visiting the dungeons shortly to discover what these vile creatures are planning. After, I will return to the Tower and retrieve the Doctor and his compatriots.'

Jean nodded, 'In that case, your Majesty, I am going to the Tower.'

The Queen gave a sly smile. 'The door to their cell is unbarred. I request you leave them be, till such time they discover it for themselves.'

The Queen was surprised when Jean actually smiled at her before dismissing herself from the room. So far the monarch had not seen Jean's face show any expression, remaining eerily blank. Only the strange woman's eyes gave any clues to her thoughts. Even then, her eyes were too unnerving to meet for long periods.

Putting it out of her mind the Queen prepared herself for anything that might happen in the dungeons.

...

The Tower guards had been informed Jean was coming and they let her pass without stopping her. She only asked where the Doctor's cell was located and then sat herself in the hallway just outside. She could faintly hear them speaking from the stairs that led down to their cell.

The third Doctor intrigued her slightly but it was what she could only describe as a cosmic entity connected to him that had almost all her attention.

The entity was similar, only just, to Sexy. Jean could feel its connection to time and space. It was powerfully telepathic and was using a perception field to wander around without anyone but the third Doctor noticing it. Even then it would disappear and reappear at will. Jean was positive she could sense it only because it allowed her too.

And it was suddenly directly in front of her, as well as in the cell.

'Hello!' It waved its hand giddily and smiled at her.

The entity appeared as a 20 something blonde humanoid dressed in ragged white, brown and black clothes. It was standing a few feet directly in front of where Jean sat on the floor. When Jean didn't respond, just observing it, it frowned petulantly.

'Ah, yes, the silent treatment. You are rather good at that.'

'Why are you here?'

'That?' It waved its hand vaguely in the direction of the Doctors.

'Oh, I just wanted to save a man from pain.' The entity's eyes suddenly became shrewd and intensely focused on Jean. 'A little like y- Nooo, very much like you. That's what you do isn't it? Protect the Doctor from himself. Guard his future. Guide his noooow...'

It's eyes drifted to Jean's forehead and flashed gold. She suspected it flashed as an effort to entertain her somehow. Power radiated off it in huge waves as it inspected her.

'My, you are just beautiful, aren't you?' It murmured staring at her forehead and leaning into her personal space. Jean did not appreciate feeling like being under a microscope.

'I'd say I'm rather average.' She stated dryly. Refusing to move away from the intrusive entity.

'No, no, not your shell, your true self. Look at you! You are just perfect.' The entity complimented, giddy once more. It seemed a little in awe of what it could see.

'You're not calling my consciousness perfect.' She bluntly pointed out. 'So why am I perfect?'

The entity disappeared in the blink of an eye and reappeared sitting Indian style before Jean. No longer staring at her forehead. It's facial expression serious and dark.

'Soon the Doctor will-have-had, I lose track, make a decision.' It waved its hand dismissively, 'That's the important bit for them... but not for you. You are perfect because you understand, don't you? You see it and just "know." Eyes flashing gold.

The word know was said telepathically and it expressed the simple four letter word with such complexity and infused it with so many meanings that Jean just warily watched the entity, processing a moment before replying. There would be consequences whatever she did.

'What are you requesting of me?' She finally asked.

The entity's mood suddenly switched to playfully flirty. 'This me is very pretty don't you think?'

'Yes. Your form is pretty.' Jean' voice remained blank as she watched the entity run its hands over its torso and inspect itself.

'I like this me. Its not me though. The real me is much more boxy. I'm quite square normally but the Doctor took me and I felt like being this me-'

'Your point?' She cut in. Jean had enough experience to spot a ramble incoming.

And back to serious. 'They're going to leave me, you see. Turn me off, rather rudely to be honest, and just leave me. You feel confused.' The entity noted. 'That's okay you'll understand like you always do. Take boxy me with you after they made-make their decision and be sure to join the old but younger Doctor.'

'This is why I hate foreknowledge,' she said to herself, rubbing her temples, 'Either it ruins the surprise or ruins you.'

'Will you do it? Please?' The entity looked a rather vulnerable.

Jean hadn't expected the was a bit odd having a cosmic entity of unknown power and ability begging for her help. (Then again her best friend was a sentient time/space ship.)

'Yes.'

The entity smiled at her, leaning forward to brush its hand over her knee, then disappeared without reply.

...

Immediately following the entity's departure, loud running foot steps echoed through the stone hallway. Jean turned to the noise to spot a fairly young brunnete running toward her. When the brunnete spotted Jean sitting in the corridor her face lit up with a large releaved smile.

'Jean! What are you doing here? I thought tha-'

'No.' Commanded Jean. The brunnete's smile dropped. 'What? Did I-'

'You're from my future. I have not met you yet.' Jean interrupted again.

The brunnete gathered herself together and held out her hand. 'In that case: Hi, I'm Clara, nice to meet you.'

'Clara from the other end of the time fissure?' Jean clarified.

When Clara nodded Jean grabbed her hand gave it a firm shake then pulled Clara in to land a short kiss on the other woman's lips. Self proposed pledge completed. Jean stood back without explaining her actions.

'Waa?' The poor girl was shocked beyond thought.

'How did you get here?'

'Vortex Manipulator.' Came the dazed reply. Clara held up the unshaken hand to show Jean a bulky leather wrist attachment.

'I'll be taking that.' She unlatched the buckle and started inspecting the device. Sexy had mentioned them before and Jean was intrigued by the possibility of a backup way to travel.

'Oka- Hey! You kissed me?!' Clara's tone indicated disbelief more than outrage.

'The Doctors are beyond that staircase. The door is unlocked.'

Pointing out Clara's original destination got the girl to sprint down the staircase with only a passing confused glance.

The Queen had managed to quietly approach Jean while she spoke with Clara.

'Do women of the future kiss each other often?' asked Elizabeth, who looked surpringly calm for a woman of her time period just having witnessed two women kiss.

'Sometimes.' Jean vaguely responded still inspecting the Vortex Manipulator.

'Hmm. I have discovered the creatures plans, come, join me in fetching the Doctor.'

Putting the inelegant time travel device in one of her trouser pockets. Jean followed the Queen to the stairs and stopped at the top. The passageway was too narrow for two.

She heard the tail end of the conversation between the Doctors and Elizabeth.

'Yes. Exactly. Why wasn't it locked?' Asked the Future Doctor.

'Because I was fascinated to see what you would do upon escaping. I understand you're rather fond of this world. It's time I think you saw what's going to happen to it.' Came the Queen's haughty response.

Elizabeth returned to the hallway, her smile hidden from the Doctors view. She silently motioned for Jean to walk with her and continued toward the exit. Clued in on the monarch's playful mood dispite the possibly dire situation. Jean took her position beside her and ignored the odd group following them.

All three Doctors and Clara were quietly following the Queen's lead. Current Doctor sqwaked in surprise on seeing Jean walking right beside who they thought was a Zygon copy of the Queen.

'Who is that?' Asked a rough male voice quietly, who will now be referred to as Rough Doctor.

'Her name is Jean. She travels with me.' said the Current Doctor.

'She's your companion then?' The Rough Doctor questioned speculatively.

'Ah, no no, um... it's well, complicated.' The Current Doctor stammered.

'She's the TARDIS' Companion!' Clara inputted brightly.

'What! Is that even possible?'

'Apparently.' Replied Future and Current Doctors at the same time.

...

The trip to the Zygon's section of the dungeons passed quickly. No one spoke after the Rough Doctor's inquiry. Jean could feel their confusion to why she was walking beside the supposed Zygon-Elizabeth but offered no clues. If they hadn't figured it out by now she wasn't going to help. (Besides the results are bound to be comical.)

The Queen confidently led them to the same overlook Jean had visited before. Jean stood behind the Queen as the group arrayed themselves to gain a better view of the Zygon control center and Jean got her first complete view of the Rough Doctor.

He was physically older than the other two Doctors with a wrinkled face and short white hair. Dressed in a battleworn leather jacket, adorned with an ammo bandolier. Full coverage shi black shin boots and faded pants. His eyes were younger and if she concentrated his emotions less mad, less all consuming guilt.

'The Zygons lost their own world. It burnt in the first days of the Time War. A new home is required.' Stated Elizabeth gaining the groups attention.

'So they want this one.' said Clara. Jean heard the muffed steps of a Zygon coming through the dungeon entrance.

'Not yet. It's far too primitive. Zygons are used to a certain level of comfort.' She explained primly.

'Commander, why are these creatures here?' Hissed an unshifted Zygon.

'Because I say they should be. It is time you too were translated. Observe this. I believe you will find it fascinating.'

Jean noted what Elizabeth had discovered and decided that out of all the ruling beings she had met in her travels so far, that this woman was truly impressive. She knew the history and legacy this woman would leave behind after her death but seeing why that legacy existed was amazing. Elizabeth had remained level headed while witnessing things beyond her understanding. She had even confronted them directly having to act beyond her knowledge and succeeded.

For the time period and species to produce such a monarch was astounding.

Jean had been half listening to the conversation about stasis cubes and cup-a-soups. She gave it her full attention when the Current Doctor's voice gained the same tone he had when accusing a rabbit. She could feel Elizabeth's amused indignation during his entire tirade.

'And do you know why I know that you're a fake? Because you're such a bad copy. It's not just the smell, or the unconvincing hair, or the atrocious teeth, or the eyes just a bit too close together, or the breath that could stun a horse. It's because my Elizabeth, the real Elizabeth, would never be stupid enough to reveal her own plan. Honestly, why would you do that?'

'Because it's not my plan. And I am the real Elizabeth!'

The Current Doctor's emotions switched to befuddlement. 'Okay. So, backtracking a moment just to lend context to my earlier remarks.'

'My twin is dead in the forest. I am accustomed to taking precautions.'

The Queen revealed and unseethed the gold dagger she had used earlier.

'You were correct Jean, these Zygon creatures never even considered that it was me who survived rather than their own commander. The arrogance that typifies their kind.'

'Zygons?' Asked Clara.

The Queen huffed, 'Men!'

Jean wasn't going to point out that most shape-shifting species, alien or from Earth, were hermaphrodites.

'And you actually killed one of them?' Clara's emotions broadcasting her awe.

'I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but at the time, so did the Zygon. Jean found me in the forest and designed this entire plan to discover their intentions.'

All the Doctors and Clara gave her surprised looks.

'Did you really think I would do nothing as you three,' She pointed at the Doctors, 'Spent your time trying to break out of an unlocked cell?' She finish loconicly.

'The future of my kingdom is imperilled. Doctor, can I rely on your service?'

'Well, I'm going to need my Tardis.' said the Current Doctor.

'Already got that covered, Doctor. Moved her before you were "locked" in the Tower.' She used air quotes.

'Ah.'

'But first, my love, you have a promise to keep.'

...

The group moved to where Jean had parked the TARDIS and as the Queen sent for a Clergy man, Jean joined the three Doctors and Clara standing on the lawn.

'How are we dealing with the Zygons?' she asked.

'We're not. Well not during this time period anyway.' Said the Future Doctor. He uses his hand to include Clara. 'We came from the future and they're still there.'

Jean nodded in understanding. 'I'll inform Elizabeth to oversee getting the rest of the Zygons in the paintings then.'

As she departed the group to tell Elizabeth the plan she heard the Rough Doctor say, 'Is she always so... unemotional?'

...

The wedding of the Doctor went as she expected: awkward kissing and comical commentary from the other two Doctors. She felt they had it covered so she remained a silent witness.

They followed the Current Doctor after he pretty much fled the Queen as fast as he could.

Jean got an impression from Sexy as she entered the doors. Excusing herself from the group to go deeper into the TARDIS. She grabbed a stasis cube from an out of the way storage closet and returned to the console room to hear the Future Doctor.

'Kate, please. Just listen to me!' he begged.

'The Tower of London, totally Tardis-proof.' The Current Doctor comments.

'How can they do that?' Asks Clara.

Jean is standing on a raised metal staircase when the Rough Doctor notices her and what she is holding in her hand.

'We don't need to land.' He says, walking over to Jean and holding out his hand. 'You knew.' He whispers and she just nods remaining silent.

The others haven't noticed her return yet.

'Yeah, we do. A tiny bit. Try and keep up.' says the Current Doctor, annoyed.

'No, we don't. We don't. There is another way.' Crows the Rough Doctor. 'She figured it out!'

...

The next hour had all the those in the time ship working in tandem to prepare the three Doctors and Clara for entering the painting. Jean and the TARDIS were going to land outside the Black Archive's TARDIS-proof building.

The Future Doctor made a call to the National Gallery and had the painting moved to UNIT's Black Archive.

The Current Doctor worked on unglitching the desktop since the TARDIS they were in was his.

The Rough Doctor programmed the stasis cube with the date and time to allow them to escape the painting.

Clara searched for a date slightly in the future when the Zygons were all in the paintings and they could do the same, leaving the Zygons unaware.

Jean selected a location just outside the Black Archive to land the TARDIS and prepared her for both flights.

Once all preparations were complete and the group was standing in the now empty castle dungeon, Jean wished them luck and got the last word.

'Your entrance better be dramatic Doctors or it's just not worth 450 something years in a painting.'

...

After the TARDIS finished her dematerialization and settled outside the Archive entrance, Jean hit a switch that ran the program to unglitch the desktop theme back to coral. The console room now back to normal allowed her to take a seat in the reappeared captain's chair.

Jean massaged her temples. She hadn't realized how grating the three Doctors minds were on her senses. She had made an effort to push the blurring flicker to the back of her mind but it didn't completely remove the sensation.

Tilting her head back on the chair she allowed her body to relax. 'What a day...'

'It's not over yet.' responded a chipper voice.

Jean opened her eyes, without moving her head, to see the blonde humanoid the cosmic entity portrayed itself as leaning inches above her face.

'It's you.' She said in monotone.

'Yes, me!' It sounded like it thought that meeting itself was the highlight of anyone's day.

'Does anyone know how snarky, sarcastic and pessimistic you are in your head?' It questioned and turned its head as if listening to something. 'No, no, I think not. The Doctor will but everyone else thinks you're a R-r-robot.' It mimed jerky movements, moving back slightly toward the center console.

'What do you want?' She closed her eyes. Maybe ignoring it would make it leave faster.

It snorted at her thought, 'Just to talk and give you something.'

'Talk then.'

'They flicker because of me. I pulled and pushed and dumped them together and now they aren't fitting like puzzle pieces anymore. You get the key to the puzzle. Wanna see it? C'mon, open those eyes. Open, open, open.'

Jean angled her head enough to see the entity pointing to three items on center console. The stasis cube, her leather journal and the Vortex Manipulator.

'Are you going to give me vague references on how to use these together now?' She asked blandly.

'Nope.' It said, popping the P like she had heard the Doctor do on many occasions. 'Proper instructions in the journal. Vague would've made you ignore it on principal.'

With that the entity vanished.

...

Jean got up from her seat and moved to examine the items on the console. She dismissed the stasis cube, already knowing what it held, and picked up the Vortex Manipulator. When she had inspected it right after taking it from Clara the thing wasn't working, it had had no power, but seeing various lights flashing now and the battery indicator showed it at 100%.

Her journal was the most interesting and dreadful by far. The first page now had a series of space/time travel coordinates and instructions on when to use them. The following pages had an entire account of this adventure, starting with her bet to the Doctor about London and farther than receiving her journal.

She refused to read those pages. She knew they were there because she read of herself reading this moment and the pages after were filled with words.

Putting the three things into her trouser pockets she again reaffirmed her now absolute loathing of foreknowledge. This entire adventure had been clue after clue related to the Doctor's or her own future. She was too observant and too intelligent not to figure them out. As she had said before: foreknowledge ruined the surprise or it ruined you.

On the bright side, the entity happened to have beautiful handwriting.

...

The Current and Future Doctors burst into the console room followed by Clara. Jean wasn't sure how long it had been since she landed the TARDIS she hadn't been paying attention. Too focused on ignoring her own theories about the future.

'He hasn't done it yet!' Clara passionately insisted and moving to stand before the Future Doctor, glaring at him.

'How do you know?' Asked the Future Doctor his arms waving in agitation. 'You don't know him like we-I do, Clara.'

'Done what?' Jean inquiried from her place at the console.

'Finished the Time War.' Came the dark response from the Current Doctor.

'Bu-but he hasn't! I can tell.' Clara's voice gained a hint of helpless plea.

Jean interrupted whatever either Doctor was going to say, 'She is right. He hasn't... Here, let me prove it.'

She pulls a lever and throws the TARDIS into a short flight. Flinging her passengers to the floor.

When they land she hefts up the brunnete and hands Clara a strip of paper ripped from her journal. Dragging both her and the Future Doctor out of the TARDIS right into the Future Doctor's console room.

'Make him go to those coordinates.' She instructs Clara, while ignoring the Future Doctor's loud complaints at being manhandled and avoiding his flailing limbs.

When Clara nods resolutely, Jean returns to the Current Doctor's TARDIS and shuts the door. He had been inspecting the coordinates she had preprogrammed from her journal.

'Do you know where these will take us?' He asks seriously pointing a finger at the series of characters.

Jean only nods in reply and moves to the console.

'We can't go there. It's impossible!' He protests.

'You say that a lot.' She commented, pulling the activation lever again and making the Doctor yelp while clinging to the console for support.

...

When they landed the Doctor nearly didn't leave until she poked him in the side with her finger and blandly said he was definitely made of stronger stuff. They exited the ship into a sandy weather beaten barn, hay scattered on the floor, rusty tools on the walls. The Past Doctor stood in the middle of the barn not facing them. The Future Doctor and Clara to their left.

'I told you. He hasn't done it yet.' said Clara.

'Go away now, all of you. This is for me.' said the Past Doctor, a pleading command.

'These events should be time-locked. We shouldn't even be here.' voiced the Current Doctor while glancing at Jean.

The Future Doctor was weighing Jean meaningfully with his gaze. 'So something let us through.'

Jean didn't notice their comments. To them it appeared as if she were avoiding their eyes but she was really watching the entity sitting on a stack of tires to her right. The entity gave her a mischievous smile and wave before it pointed to the odd machine in front of the Past Doctor and winked before it turned its attention to the Doctors.

'Go back. Go back to your lives. Go and be the Doctor that I could never be. Make it worthwhile.' Pleaded the Past Doctor. His emotions filled with resigned dread.

Jean could feel it around her. Their decision, that important choice, would happen soon. She felt the other Doctors emotions shift into something she could not accurately describe. They start to speak in turns.

'All those years, burying you in my memory.' Starts the Current Doctor.

The Future Doctor immediately followed while stepping forward, 'Pretending you didn't exist. Keeping you a secret, even from myself.'

'Pretending you weren't the Doctor, when you were the Doctor more than anybody else.' Jean can hear Clara beginning to cry, sniffling quietly.

'You were the Doctor on the day it wasn't possible to get it right.'

'But this time.' The Current Doctor places his hand on the large activation button of The Moment.

As does the Future Doctor. 'You don't have to do it alone.'

Jean feels the relief wash over the Past Doctor as he says, 'Thank you.' Feels the disbelief and utter sorrow for the Doctor from Clara. The indefinable mix of grief, acceptance, sadness, rage and so many other emotions around the older Doctors and she cannot remain a silent witness to this tragedy any longer.

'You're an idiot, Doctor.' She says lowly, all the Doctors turning to face her. Not surprised she insulted them but the timing of her words.

Before any can speak Jean points at Clara, 'Look at her. Look what you're doing.'

Clara is shaking her head no, tear tracks down her face, eyes pinned on her Doctor.

'What? What is it?' he asks softy.

'You told me you wiped out your own people. I just. I never pictured you doing it, that's all.'

'Take a closer look.' says the entity of The Moment.

Jean observes them as they witness the current reality of Gallifrey. She knew their choice would be huge but did not expect it to be so personally impacting for the Doctor. Watching both older Doctors about to make the decision that shatters them... again, was beyond her her ability to express disbelief and she had to interfere.

Because making that choice once was bad enough.

During her time living with the moody bipolar Time Lord, she had somehow found her role in this universe as the subtle hand to his giant hammer. Often quietly shadowing him as he went into dangerous situations and, with Sexy's advice, helping him avoid a reckless death. He hadn't a clue either and she hoped he wouldn't ever realize the steps she took out of his view to keep him safe and sane.

'These are the people you're going to burn?' Clara asks.

'There isn't anything we can do.' Insists the Current Doctor.

'He's right. There isn't another way. There never was. Either I destroy my own people or let the universe burn.' Agrees the Future Doctor.

Jean's eyes watch the quiet Past Doctor as Clara helps the older Doctors realize they are being complete idiots in her opinion. The older Doctors are too blinded by the past to realize what they do in the universe every time they leave the TARDIS doors.

The Past Doctor was observing his future selves with sharp intelligent eyes.

'You told me the name you chose was a promise.' said Clara sweeping her eyes over all the Doctors. 'What was that promise?'

'Never cruel or cowardly.' says the Current.

'Never give up, never give in.' says the Past.

As the projection of Gallifrey vanishes the doubt and pain also vanish from the Future Doctor. They are replaced by a tsunami of giddy excitement and hope. Jean gives an unseen smile at a choice made right.

The Future Doctor begins to practicly bounce off the walls.

'You're not actually suggesting that we change our own personal history?' Said Current with disbelief.

'We change history all the time. I'm suggesting far worse.' Future says.

'What, exactly?' inquired the Past Doctor.

'Gentlemen,' crows Future, 'I have had four hundred years to think about this. I've changed my mind.'

'It's good to see your brain again, Doctor.' Injects Jean as he deactivates The Moment.

He gives her a blinding smile before returning to the other Doctors.

'There's still a billion billion Daleks up there, attacking.' Points out Past.

Still smiling unconcerned, Future said, 'Yeah, there is. There is.'

Excitement starts building in the Current Doctor, 'But there's something those billion billion Daleks don't know.'

'Because if they did, they'd probably send for reinforcements.' Quips Future.

'What? What don't they know?' asks a bewildered Clara.

'This time, there's three of us/them' said Future and Jean at the same time.

The Past Doctor bursts with realization, excitement and hope, 'Oh! Oh, yes, that is good. That is brilliant!'

'Oh, oh, oh, I'm getting that too! That is brilliant!' shouts Current as he also begins bouncing around.

'Ha, ha, ha! I've been thinking about it for centuries.' said Future giving a silly victory pose.

'She didn't just show me any old future, she showed me exactly the future I needed to see.' said Past fully realizing the situation.

'Now you're getting it.' Smiled The Moment/Entity.

'Eh? Who did? Jean?' asked a confused Future.

'Oh, Bad Wolf girl, I could kiss you.' shouts Past at the ceiling.

'Yeah, that's going to happen.' slyly comments The Moment/Bad Wolf

His declaration brought the Current Doctor up short, 'Sorry, did you just say Bad Wolf?'

'So what are we doing? What's the plan?' asked a still bewildered Clara cutting off Current's confusion.

'They're going to save Gallifrey,' Interrupts Jean, stealing their thunder, 'by using a stasis cube to store the planet, making it disappear in an instant, leaving the billions of Daleks bombarding the planet to destroy each other in their own crossfire.' she finishes blandly.

'Awwwww Jean!' Whines the Future Doctor, 'Why do you always do that?!' He pouted like a child.

'Someone has to keep your giant ego in check Doctor or you would be crushed by its weight eventually.' she deadpanned.

...

Later when their plans are formalized and they all move to their respective TARDIS Jean stops her Doctor by grabbing his arm.

'I'm going with him.' Jean tells the Current Doctor and points at the Past Doctor about to leave the barn.

'Bu- Alright.' Current agrees knowing he can't change her mind. 'We'll meet up after, like we planned.'

The Current and Future Doctors depart in their TARDIS' and Jean turns around to see the entity standing above its physical shell with a frown on its face.

'Said they would just leave me.' It says mournfully. 'Here, let me be easier to carry.'

It waves its arm over the box and the box shrinks to the size of a rubix cube. It remained the same but smaller. If one did not know it was once larger it would be an extravagant piece of detailed art.

'Protect me well. For all that I am, I am still a dangerous weapon.' It said before fading and vanishing.

Jean picks up the small box and places it in one of her trouser pockets before heading out the worn barn door to sprint to the Past Doctor.

'Doctor.' she greets once she reaches his side.

'Jean.'

They spend a few minutes walking in the hot desert sun before either of them speak.

'You could see the Interface.' he says calmly.

'Yes.'

'It showed me what I needed to see. What did it show you?' he asked glancing at her face to see her expression didn't change. That still unnerved him. How did his future self travel with her? She was so different from his usual Companions and friends.

'It didn't show me anything. It basically begged me to protect and guide future you to safety.' she said in monotone.

The Past Doctor was so startled by her response he stopped walking and turned to face her with wide eyes. She stopped but did not turn to face him, seemingly interested more by the horizon then his shock.

This woman appeared so cold and unfeeling. Never speaking in anything other than monotone. Her face never showing anything beyond blankness. Why would the Interface request, no, beg of her to do that for him?

'And you agreed to do this?' He asked, startled.

'No.' She shortly stated and turned to look him in the eye. 'I did not agree because I already have been. It was an unnecessary request.'

Looking into this woman's blue-gray unfeeling eyes suddenly filled him with righteous anger. Who are these people/beings to dictate his future?

Narrowing his eyes to glare at her he angrily demanded, 'Who are you to think you can 'guide' me?'

Ignoring his anger Jean turned and began walking in the direction of Past's TARDIS. He moved to grab her arm.

'I am four times older than you, Time Lord.'

That brought him up short, he stilled his hand. She would be considered an Ancient in Gallifreyian society. Ancients were honored and revered for the wisdom they gained from such an extensively long life.

'I am a telepath.' she glaced at him from the corner of her eye, 'Level five.'

If her declaration of age had not shocked him, this certainly would have.

He gracelessly sputtered, 'That's impos-'

'Impossible?' She interrupted, now fully turning her head to look at him. 'You say that a lot.'

He hasn't taken the time to inspect her fully before. Before he had only seen a short haired, dark blonde Human woman with neither remarkable beauty or ugliness, rather average in terms of humanoid looks, but now he saw it. It being the utter depth of her eyes, the almost but not quite hidden age and the subtle power she kept close to her person.

Lesser evolved species wouldn't see the truth of her, she hid it well, but a little concentration on his part and he now saw all of her.

He tentively reached out his hand, 'May I?' He asked permission to touch her. Jean nodded and allowed the younger Doctor to initiate telepathic contact.

His reaction was exactly the same as his older self: Awe and appreciation of the complexity of her mind.

'I will not speak telepathically to you, Doctor.' She voiced out loud, feeling him examining her consciousness. 'The one time I did so with your future self, I nearly gave him an aneurism. He believes the migraine was just telepathic backlash and has no idea I almost killed him by simply thinking at him.'

The Doctor jerked his hand back instinctively and stared at the powerful woman before him. He was beginning to understand why the Interface, who could rip holes in time, would beg this woman to protect him.

Jean returned to staring at the horizon and walking forward. She spoke again when the Doctor caught up to her. She continued to answer the original question.

'I have spent my entire life, except for the present and possibly up to 30 of my first years, isolated from all others. You are aware of the effects this has on telepaths.' She glanced at him again. 'The Doctor, TARDIS and I believe those first years gave me enough foundation to allow me to become who I am now. You demand of me to tell you who I am to guide you but your emotions say, who am I to manipulate you?'

As she paused, the Past Doctor decided to point out, 'You are a very blunt person.'

She smiled, shocking the Doctor once again and stated, 'It's needed. You, who talk but never say anything; hiding behind your ability to ramble and babble others into submission. Me, who hardly speaks but forces you and others to see the truth of themselves when I do. It balances out. This is actually the most I have ever spoken at one time.' She commented thoughtfully before her face lost all expression again.

'No need to be surprised, Doctor. I may appear to be an unemotional robot but it is by my choice and willpower that I do this. I do have emotions under this face.' She waved vaguely at herself.

'I am not manipulating you, Doctor. I do not spend my time trying to influence your opinion, thoughts or actions in an effort to make your choices those I would personally prefer. I do not go out of my way to argue why my point of view is better than yours or anything remotely of that nature.' Jean gave the Doctor her full attention. Meeting his eyes to convey the absolute truth of her words.

'I do however point out your flaws, calm you down and insult you in an effort to keep you grounded. When you become emotional you forget to use your intelligence to make your decisions and that is when you take actions you later regret. You know this very well. I do not stop you from doing as you like. I only observe and make my comments.'

Her explanation finished and the Doctor unable to reply they were again silent as they continued walking to the TARSIS. Both thinking deep thoughts.

...

As they reached the battleworn blue police box, Jean placed her hand on the equally battleworn Doctor's arm to stop him from entering.

'You know why I am telling you this without fear of paradoxes. You can ask your future selves to confirm it.' She said, 'I cannot tell the future you I know these things because small memories will bleed through your subconscious no matter the issue of timelines or not. Your species is just too evolved and connected to time for that to be avoided but the age difference between you and my Doctor is enough of a buffer that my comments will fade and you will forget we ever meet at all.'

He nodded as she paused to gather her own.

'I detest telling another their future or even hinting at it.' She commented suddenly. There was an actual undertone of annoyance in her usual bland voice.

'A pet peeve of yours?' Asked the amused Doctor.

'Yes and I get the feeling I'll be dealing with it more often in my future. I am not looking forward to that.'

The Doctor barked a laugh and entered his TARDIS. His console theme seemed to be a the precursor of the coral theme, mixing in a bit of utilitarian metal on the room's walls. He set the coordinates to meet with his future selves.

'Are you ready to try and save the planet, my dear?' He asked with a tiny grin.

'Let's give you some hope.' She simply said and pulled the lever to activate dematerialization.

* * *

Tada! The Day of the Doctor. Next chapter will wrap everything up and give a lead into The Waters of Mars.

I'll apologize now for the errors in this chapter. I know they are in there. I really need a beta reader to help me with these things.

Please review and leave your thoughts.


	16. Chapter 16

After possibly saving Gallifrey from obliteration, the three Doctors, Clara and Jean had met at the National Gallery for their farewells.

Jean avoided her Doctor's questioning glances by speaking with Clara. The poor girl was utterly confused and embarrassed as to why Jean had randomly just up and kissed her. When asked why she promptly answered it was a thank you for shutting the Doctors up. It got the girl to smile and stop acting so awkward around her.

She refused to listen to the Future Doctor tell the Current about his future when he demanded saying he wouldn't remember so he might as well tell him. She ducked into the TARDIS with a quick goodbye to the others before Future could even start. When he entered the console room his emotions were raging and agitated from whatever he'd been told. Jean promptly told him that he was an idiot for even asking.

Jean then successfully avoided the Doctor inside the TARDIS for over a week with Sexy's help. There was no need to allow him the chance to question her about her actions when he wouldn't remember anyway.

The time ship's consciousness had returned her full attention to Jean when they departed the National Gallery. Sexy explained her absence by saying it is/was never a good idea for her to meet herself. Apparently, she was a horrible gossip.

...

Jean closed her journal having just reread the adventure that the Doctor had no knowledge of. The Interface had done a fantastic job weaving it into a story format. She wasn't going to question just how it had witnessed all the conversations it hadn't seen personally.

Apparently, the Moment's Interface, or what she had known as the entity, had given her this written copy of events as a backup plan. With the three different Doctor's timelines out of sync: only the oldest and his companion would retain the memories for sure. Jean's timeline had been a wildcard and could have gone either way.

She had retained her memories and was now in possession of items that could cause multiple universe ending paradoxes if others discovered their existence at the wrong time. The journal would have given her the information to figure that out if she hadn't remembered.

She was going to incinerate the journal after removing the few pages of added time/space travel coordinates. She loathed future knowledge but the coordinates had no clues attached to them besides dates and times to use them. In the end, she could choose to not use them anyway.

The vortex manipulator would be kept on her person at all times. Sexy had been kind enough to give her a new pair of boots with a hidden bigger on the inside pocket woven into the back seem. Jean had first thought of new camouflage trousers but having had past adventures where her clothing ended up in tatters made her think creatively. She had never lost or severely damaged her boots, covered them in all sorts of weird and disgusting substances, but her boots were sturdy, tough and were not confiscated when arrested.

The stasis cube, possibly containing important clues or the key to find Gallifrey's location, and The Moment were going to be in whichever boot that didn't contain the vortex manipulator. On a side note, she was glad the Interface had turned itself off. She didn't know if she could handle a sentient time-meddling super weapon invisibly following her around.

Both pouches were bio-encoded to her. No one but herself would touch or know of these items until they were absolutely needed and if she died they would never be found, forgotten with her passing.

...

It was not very long after the forgotten adventure that she and Sexy began to notice that the Doctor's subconscious had retained some of the emotional upheaval he had experienced and it was not helping his existing fear he was going to die.

He was fine for a week or so after, regaining his emotional stability from the word lashing she had given him in the library (Sexy applauded her for that one) but slowly that stability faded. To others the Doctor would appear unchanged but her empathy and friendship with Sexy allowed her to feel even the tiniest shift in the Doctor. He actively began to flee from some unknown. Jean suspected even he didn't notice at first, his subconscious driving him.

Jean had spotted an Ood telepathic projection on several planets she had visited when inclined to join the explorations. She joined the Doctor on very few of his outings. Seeing the same Ood so much did not bode well. The Doctor didn't notice the Ood every time but when he did notice his emotions became a particularly cold dreaded avoidance and fear.

Jean found it most unsettling that the Ood-Mind could project a psychic image throughout all of time and space. They were after all adventuring and exploring in vastly different time periods and sections of the known universe.

The interference of the Ood angered Jean and Sexy on a personal levels. The hiveminded beings clearly did not understand temperal laws or science. They were literally forcing the Doctor to face "the end of his song." Not just because he became distressed every time the projection spoke to him but for more serious reasons as well.

Because the Ood were existing in linear time every time their projection was spotted, by either Jean or the Doctor, it forced the time travelers to submit to the laws of time and follow the course of the Ood's linear timeline. It basically meant that if the Ood had not started projecting constantly the Doctor could have traveled back to just after their first projection rather than the last one he had witnessed.

The Ood had never evolved time sense, she checked the TARDIS data base, and their egotistical stupidity would most likely end in disaster.

Sexy couldn't interfere on her Thief's behalf but Jean was going to have a very in depth "conversation" when she met the Ood-Mind. There was no "if" in this situation. These beings had drawn her attention and anger.

They had no idea what was coming their way.

* * *

A visit to sunny Mars is up next.

Please review and leave your thoughts, ask questions or point out things that make no sense too you.

I do respond to every review, good or bad.


	17. Chapter 17

The Waters of Mars is actually one of my least favorite Doctor Who episodes. But boy does it make for good and interesting fan fiction if written correctly.

Jean's going to be a little quieter during the action bits of this adventure. There are several very good reasons why, which will be explained before the chapter is over.

* * *

Red sand.

The second Jean left the TARDIS she knew this trip would be disastrous. Sexy had warned her of the red sand months ago. She had nearly forgotten until her and the Doctor had left the TARDIS doors and the memory slapped her in the face. They had not visited any other places with red sand since Sexy's warning, probably on purpose.

So Jean gathered herself together and prepared for a tough adventure.

...

The Doctor was wearing a hideous orange hazardous enviorment suit with a yellow helmet and had scrounged around the wardrobe to find Jean's sleak grey suit. He had explained her suit was a few thousand years more advanced than his own. She had caught his nostalgic emotions and mutters that suspiciously sounded like "demon" and "rose."

They trekked across the rocky expanse of the surface for a few minutes. Enjoying the view and the distant red mountains, before stumbling across a crater housing a space base of human design.

'Oh, beautiful.' he gushed when he spotted the base.

Jean turned around at the sound of electrical sparks. A medium sized two-armed white robot had snuck up behind them. She raised her hands slowly after spotting the gun held in its right hand.

The robot shoved its gun into the back of the Doctor, 'Rotate slowly.' it ordered.

The Doctor slowly turned to face the robot, 'You are under arrest for trespassing. Gadget gadget.'

'Alright, alright! No need to shoot us. We'll come quietly.' he said in an overly chipper voice, 'Um, could you by chance, not point that at us?' he waved to the gun.

'No.' it motioned to a path leading into the crater.

They didn't speak the rest of the trip into the crater or up to the base's entry airlock. The Doctor outwardly appeared calm but his emotions said he was uncomfortable with the robot keeping its gun trained on them.

They were herded into the airlock by the robot. Once decompression finalized a group of nervous and suspicious humans ordered them to remove their environment suits, still at gun point. They were then escorted into a white room filled with scientific computers and a few more humans.

An older blonde female, who appeared to be in charge, examined Jean and the Doctor after their suits were confiscated. Her eyes were shrewed and intelligent, emotions suspicious.

'State your names, ranks, and intentions.' the woman demanded, keeping the gun pointed at the Doctors face while the robot kept its gun on Jean.

'The Doctor. Doctor. Fun.'

'Jean. Observer. Witness.' The Doctor gave Jean a sharp questioning glance before returning his gaze to the woman training a gun at his head. The group of humans seemed slightly startled by her uncaring monotone response. The older female gave her a considering once over.

A door opened and a darker skinned male human ran excitedly into the room. Jean had never been good with ethnicities in other species. The man stopped in a doorway when he spotted the two people held at gun point.

'What the hell?' the man said loudly, 'It's a man and a woman! People on Mars. How?'

Another younger blonde walked into the room holding their environment suits in her arms. Her eyes roaming over the confiscated environment suits, 'They were wearing these things. I have never seen anything like them.' she stated with an accent.

'What did Mission Control say?' asked the darker skinned man, walking into the room.

'They're out of range for ten hours with the solar flares.' responded the younger blonde.

The leading woman interrupted seriously, 'If we could cut the chat, everyone.'

'Actually, chat's second on my list, the first being gun pointed at my head. Which then puts my head second and chat third, I think. Gun, head, chat, yeah. I hate lists. But you could hurt someone with that thing. Just put it down.' rambled the Doctor.

Jean kept her eyes on the gun held by the commanding female and dismissed the robot's handler, he was a young black haired male, his emotions told Jean he didn't have the heart to fire the weapon.

'Oh, you'd like that.' said the leading female slyly.

'Can you find me someone who wouldn't?'

Jean's mind traitorously offered the thought of Sontaruns not minding a gun pointed at them. They would probably enjoy it.

The older woman's eyes narrowed in suspicion, 'Why should I trust you two?'

'Because I give you my word. And forty million miles away from home, my word is all you've got.' answered the Doctor. Jean stayed silent, staring.

...

Jean remained silent as the Doctor figured out where and when they were. They were in Bowie Base One, the first human colony on Mars. The Doctor comments were cryptic but she read the underlying meanings: These people were going to die and soon if his panic at the mention of the date told her anything.

Her earlier prediction of this adventure being disastrous became more and more true as the Doctor's emotions shifted from cautious excitement to unmitigated dread, panic and fear. He started insisting they needed to leave.

Jean had never seen him want to leave after discovering a group of historically famous beings during his adventures. He always stayed to witness their usually heroic deeds or solve the mysterious circumstances surrounding their deaths. Sometimes stopping their deaths if aliens came into the picture.

Jean followed the Doctor as he moved away from the group of confused and unnerved humans. She watched as he desperately tried to distance himself from the situation, both emotionally and physically.

She felt the emergence of an alien mind added to the disappearance of a human mind. Very rarely did a being's consciousness leave her telepathic field except by death or sudden teleportation. Her head snapped in the direction she "felt" it happen and she caught the attention of the older female known as Adelaide Brooke. Somehow the woman read her nonexpression, not fully, but enough to alert her. (Possible low level empathy.)

'What is it? Why the whiplash maneuver?' questioned Adelaide.

'Something is wrong.' Jean stated just before a loud growling filled the room through the base's speaker system. The woman's suspicion grew after a flash of surprise.

A young dark haired woman named Mia asked, 'What was that?'

'Oh, we really should go.' the Doctor insisted urgently. Jean removed her attention from the alien mind and fixed her eyes on the agitated Doctor. He shifted uncomfortable with her intense stare.

'This is Central. Biodome report immediately.' commanded an older brown haired man named Ed.

All the humans crowded around a security monitor.

'Show me the Biodome.' instructed Adelaide.

'Internal cameras are down.' responded Ed.

Adelaide changed directions, 'Show me the exterior.' Whatever was on the monitor alarmed the woman.

'I'm going over.' she said, 'Doctor, Jean, you're with me.'

Her command didn't deter the Doctor, 'Yeah, I'm sorry. Er, I'd love to help, but we're leaving right now.'

He went to grab their suits from the other blonde named Steffi but was intercepted.

'Take their spacesuits, lock them up. This started as soon as you arrived and she knew something was going on before we did, so you two are not going anywhere except with me.' stated Adelaide before striding to an adjacent door. The dark skinned man, Tarak, and the robot Gadget motioning for them both to move after the older woman.

...

As they moved through a series of airlocks to a large dark corridor the Doctor managed to slip Jean his psychic paper. Jean stole a peak at it and her blood froze in her veins. It said two words: Fixed Point. She gave the Doctor a sharp look and he gravely nodded before they both returned to walking nonchalantly between the two humans and robot.

This adventure was much worse than she had realized. They were currently being dragged into events which lead to a fixed point in time. From what she gathered a fixed point connected to these people's deaths. She suddenly wished Sexy would return to the "now" so she could ask her council and advice.

Jean was brought out of her thoughts by the annoying robot, 'Gadget gadget.'

'How did you know something was wrong? You knew before we even contacted the Biodome.' asked Adelaide.

Jean had never felt the need to twist her words like the Doctor did with the people they met, 'I'm a powerful empath and telepath.' she blandly said.

Adelaide started in surprise at her uncommon reply and the Doctor fumbled a response, 'Oh, don't listen to her. She talks and confuses everyone.' he whispered like it was a secret.

'Shut up, Doctor. That's your job, not mine.' replied Jean dryly. The Doctor looked suitably chastised.

'You're not serious, are you?' questioned Adelaide. The woman turned to walk backwards and watch Jean, 'You are serious!'

Jean just fixed the woman with her unfathomable stare as a reply. Adelaide became unnerved and responded like most who didn't believe Jean, 'Prove it.' she commanded.

Jean raised one eyebrow and asked, 'Are you giving me permission to read your emotions and thoughts? Because I refuse to do so without express permission.' The woman didn't need to know she felt all their emotions all the time.

Adelaide became more unnerved but her brashness flaired around her, 'I give you permission.'

Jean turned to the Doctor, 'Ask her a question. I know you've wanted too since we arrived.' she turned back to Adelaide, 'Don't respond. I'll answer for you.'

The older human female nodded uncertainly and the Doctor asked, 'I've read all that stuff about you, Captain Adelaide. But one thing they never said. Was it worth it, the mission?'

The woman nearly spoke but she snapped her mouth closed and shifted her gaze between the two visitors.

Jean read the first surface response that answered the Doctor's question and said, 'They've gotten excellent results from the soil analysis.'

Adelaide's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped slightly. The man behind them, Tarak, his emotions flaired with confusion. The woman made a sharp silencing gesture when he opened his mouth to talk.

'No, but all of it. Because they say you sacrificed everything. Devoted your whole life to get here.' he said, still looking at Adelaide while speaking. The woman's eyes were wide and on her. Jean remained impassive.

Jean again spoke when another thought floated to the surface of Adelaide's mind, 'It's been chaos back on Earth. Forty years.' said Jean in monotone, 'The climate, the ozone, the oil apocalypse. The humans almost reached extinction. Then for them to fly above that, to stand on a world with no smoke, where the only straight line is the sunlight? Yes, she thinks it's worth it.'

The Doctor smiled in awe of the human before him, unaffected by Jean's bland interpretation of the older woman's thoughts.

'Ah. That's the Adelaide Brooke I always wanted to meet. The woman with starlight in her soul.' he finished in praise.

Adelaide was walking backwards on autopilot, her expression gobsmacked. Jean just stared at her passively until Tarak shouted, 'What's that up ahead?' and ran forward to a figure on the ground.

'It's Maggie.' Adelaide said after giving herself a good shake and joining Tarak and the Doctor. Jean remained farther back, feeling the warped condition of the female mind before her.

'Don't touch her!' commanded the Doctor forcefully.

'I know the procedure.' the dark skinned man said, 'Maggie, can you hear me? It's Tarak. Maggie? It's okay, she's still breathing. She's alive. Yuri, I've got Margaret Cain, head trauma. I need a full medpack.' he spoke into his comm-unit.

...

Jean remained silent as they packed the woman onto a stretcher and hauled her away for isolation in their medbay. She had no idea what was wrong with her mind but they might be able to cure her or at least discover what was wrong in their medical bay.

She followed the Doctor and the two humans into the Biodome. She had been keeping the alien mind within her telepathic view since it appeared but being closer to it allowed her to get a better read of it.

As the Doctor messed with the dome's lights she walked over to him and whispered, 'Whatever this is it isn't peaceful Doctor. I believe it killed the human named Andy and attacked Maggie. I can not feel another human mind in the dome. Just an alien mind and it feels... hungry? That's the best way I can describe it.'

He nodded an affirmative and succeeded turning on the Biodome's lighting, 'There you go.'

'What's that device?' Adelaide asks, eyeing the sonic.

'Screwdriver.'

'Are you the Doctor or the janitor?' quips the older woman.

'I don't know. Sounds like me. The maintenance man of the universe.'

'And what does that make me, Doctor?' asks Jean. He opens his mouth to speak but pauses not really having a response to her question. A confused expression on his face.

'You two stay with me. Don't step out of my sight. Tarak, go to External Door South. Make sure it's intact.' commands Adelaide. Tarak gives an affirmative before heading off.

Jean doesn't pay attention to the rest of their conversation. More human minds are disappearing and one is disappearing very close to them.

She grabs the Doctor by the arm, bringing him up short, 'We need to go over there now.' she points at a section of tall plants near the southern part of the dome.

Their group turns down a small pathway and stops to find the former Andy spewing out water onto Tarak's head while he kneels before Andy. Tarak's human mind is gone and the other mind Jean can sense is disappearing faster.

'Andy? Tarak? Look at me.' says a shaken Adelaide.

Adelaide's comm-unit crackles and a panicked male voice franticly says, 'This is Sickbay. We have a situation. Maggie's condition has. I don't know. I don't know what it is. It's water, just pouring out.'

The two former humans turn toward them and Jean pulls the Doctor and Adelaide harshly away from them before running from the pursuing alien creatures. They manage to reach the Biodome's airlock before the former humans.

'Set the seals on maximum!' shouts the Doctor.

Adelaide flips a switch and responds to the emergency call from the medbay, 'Is Maggie contained?' recieving an affirmative she orders, 'Close down all water supplies. All pipes and outlets. Don't consume anything. Have you got that, everyone? That's an order. Don't drink the water. Don't even touch it. Not one drop.'

The Doctor peers out the glass porthole examining the former humans. Their mouths are cracked, their eyes a milky white and their tongues black. Water is spewing from their bodies and mouths.

'Can you talk? Human beings are sixty percent water, which makes them the perfect host.' he ponders.

'I don't think they know how.' comments Jean.

'Host for what?' asks Adelaide.

The Doctor runs his hand through his hair in frustration, 'I don't know. I never will. Because we've got to go. Whatever's started here, we can't see it to the end. We can't.' he urgently insists.

Jean fixes Adelaide with an intent filled stare. She urges the woman to feel it: they need to leave, now. The woman meets Jean's eyes a few moments and her emotions flare with realization. (Definitely a low level empath.) A sparking panel breaks the moment.

The next few minutes consisted of Adelaide, Jean and the Doctor making a mad escape from the pursuing water aliens as the aliens flood and short circuit the electric systems on the Biodome airlock, breaking through, and chasing them down the corridor.

The Doctor hacked into the guarding Gadget robot increasing its speed for them to ride to safety. They clung precariously to the robot as its tires left flame paths on the flooring. After getting the robot into the airlock they shut the heavy door. The Central Dome airlock was much tougher then the Biodome's and leaves the water aliens trapped in the connecting tunnel.

'We're safe. It's hermetically sealed. They can't get in.' insisted Adelaide once the door shut.

'Water is patient, Adelaide. Water just waits. It wears down the clifftops, the mountains, the whole of the world. Water always wins.' ominously said the Doctor.

'And this water just stole three human bodies and their brain power.' added Jean.

'Come on.' the Doctor motioned to move.

...

Jean studied the alien Maggie from across the medbay. The humans were discussing evacuating the base and the Doctor's actions gave away the fact they all died/will die on Mars. His agitated attempts to stall them showed Jean that he was hardly ever put into a position like this: Forced to interact with a group that needed to die to preserve history.

It made her pity him for his morals. Sometimes a person just needed to die, either for heinous actions taken/prevented or to preserve the fabric of the universe. Jean was aware it would seem cold hearted and cruel to some but she was never given morals to follow from parents, culture, religion or an outside source. Her morals came from herself and her logic.

The humans decide to evacuate the base and Jean carefully observes the Doctor. His emotions are frantic and unfocused. She's never seen him like this before. Pushed between seeing this to the end and fleeing from history.

Jean knows she should grab him and insist they leave but her telepathic conversations with Sexy about this adventure held an undertone that she could not interfere with the Doctor's choice. She was to be a witness to his choice and the consequences, be they bad or good.

So she silently follows Adelaide and the Doctor as they check the water filters and stonicly watches him break one of the Laws of Time.

'You don't look like a coward, but all you've wanted to do is leave. She hasn't said much but you know so much about us.' said Adelaide.

The Doctor flippantly replies, 'Well, you're famous.'

'It's like you know more.' she insists.

He stays silent for a second but Jean can feel his chaotic emotions settling on something between grief and helpless rage.

'This moment, this precise moment in time, it's like. I mean, it's only a theory, what do I know, but I think certain moments in time are fixed.' he says, 'Tiny, precious moments. Everything else is in flux, anything can happen, but those certain moments, they have to stand. This base on Mars with you, Adelaide Brooke, this is one vital moment. What happens here must always happen.'

'Which is what?' her eyes flicker to Jean inspecting her tense stance.

'I don't know. I think something wonderful happens. Something that started fifty years ago, isn't that right?'

Adelaide's face shows her shock, 'I've never told anyone that.' she whispers.

'You told your daughter. And maybe one day she tells the story to her daughter. The day the Earth was stolen and moved across the universe. And you...'

'I saw the Daleks. We looked up. The sky had changed. Everyone was running and screaming. And my father took hold of me and his me in the attic before going to find my mother. I never saw him again, nor my mother. They were never found. But out on the streets, there was panic and burning. I went to the window, and there, in the sky, I saw it, Doctor. And it saw me. It stared at me. It looked right into me. And then it simply went away. I knew, that night, I knew I would follow it.' she finished with tears in her eyes.

'But not for revenge.' the Doctor said softly.

'What would be the point of that?'

'That's what makes you remarkable. And that's how you create history.'

'What do you mean?' she asks, confused.

Jean's eyes burned holes into the back of the Doctor's head as he spoke. Her intense gaze caught Adelaide's attention but the woman couldn't bear to meet her eyes.

'Imagine it, Adelaide, if you began a journey that takes the human race all the way out to the stars. It begins with you, and then your granddaughter, you inspire her, so that in thirty years Susie Fontana Brooke is the pilot of the first lightspeed ship to Proxima Centauri. And then everywhere, with her children, and her children's children forging the way. To the Dragon Star, the Celestial Belt of the Winter Queen, the Map of the Watersnake Wormholes. One day a Brooke will even fall in love with a Tandonian prince, that's the start of a whole new species. But everything starts with you, Adelaide. From fifty years ago to right here, today. Imagine.' he finished in awe.

'Who are you? Why are you telling me this?' her eyes flickered to Jean again, 'Doctor, why tell me?'

'As consolation.' he said with sorrow.

The maintenance screen popped up distracting them with a log from the day before. Andy had discovered a filter had broken and the replacements were of different design.

'A filter! One tiny little filter and then the Flood.'

'But that means the infection arrived today, and the water's only cycled out of the biodome after a week. The rest of us can't be infected. We can leave. Ed, we're clean.' hope filling her voice.

...

'Now get to your ship. I'm saving my people, you save yourselves. I know what this moment is. It's the moment we escape. Now get out.' commanded Adelaide when they returned to the Central Dome.

Their environment suits returned they moved toward the exit but the Doctor turned to watch them scramble to evacuate knowing they would die here. He was filled with immense grief and sorrow. Resigning himself he turned to Jean and gave her a broken smile, 'Let's go.'

They put on their suits and entered the airlock but when he pressed the door release access was denied.

'Access denied. Access denied.' said the computer.

'Tell me what happens.' commanded Adelaide through the intercom.

'I don't know.' muttered the Doctor.

'Yes, you do. Now tell me.' she shifted her attention to the tense Jean, 'Do you have anything to say Jean?'

Jean forcefully said, 'No.'

'You should be with the others.' interrupts the Doctor.

'Tell me! I could ramp up the pressure in that airlock and crush you.' threatens Adelaide with an undercurrent of hysteria.

The Doctor moves to the camera, 'Except you won't. You could have shot Andy Stone or Tarak Ital, but you didn't. I loved you for that.' he said softly, 'Imagine, imagine you knew something. Imagine you found yourself somewhere. I don't know, Pompeii...'

Jean again watched as the Doctor broke the Laws of Time and was furious with the Time Lord for telling the woman exactly what was going to happen.

Once Adelaide released the airlock seal they both walked out onto the red sand listening to the cries of terror as the Central Dome became inundated with the contaminated water. They listened as Steffi was infected, the robot handler was infected and the man Ed was infected.

Jean felt their deaths and the Doctor's helpless rage as they walked farther from the base.

...

The Doctor and Jean were violently thrown off their feet as the shuttle craft exploded behind them. The Doctor thrown onto his fronot and Jean twisting around to land on her back.

Jean lost sense of the world around her as she became blinded by pain. A trickle of someone else's madness and consuming rage fluttered across her mind before blackness tried to take her consciousness. Forcing her body to remain awake allowed her enough thought away from the pain to take stock of herself. A quick review of her body said that only her right arm was causing her extreme pain.

Groaning she tried to sit up but the blackness nearly took her with the consuming wave of pain from her right arm. Jean quickly abandoned that effort. She instead turned her head to the right and stared in horror. Her right arm from mid forearm downward was crushed by a large piece of shuttle debris from the explosion. Oxygen was hissing out from rips in the environment suit.

Clawing through the blackness and oncoming shock she lifted her left arm and tried to move the debris off her right arm. It didn't move. She flopped back and tried to reign in her fast beating heart and breathing.

Fighting her body's want to go into shock and the raging pain was taking most of her concentration. If she failed she could die here, either from the shock or escaping air.

She didn't know where the Doctor was or if he was injured himself but he wouldn't be able to help her anyway. She reached into the chest pocket of her suit and retrieved a laser cutter and set about doing what was nessesary to survive.

...

Brow furrowed in pain she reached the airlock the Doctors foot prints led too and entered.

She clutched her right arm tight to her body and increased pain reducing hormone production, then rechecked her deliberate limited blood flow to her arm. She was concentrating so much on her physical body that her telepathy and empathy were muted to her. Shock was still trying to claim her.

The scene that greeted her beyond the airlock was one of the Doctor falling into frantic madness. She watched, out of the way, as he screamed and shouted his superiority, scaring the three remaining humans.

It was becoming quite clear he had not left her pinned underneath the debris to go get help. He had abandoned or forgotten her in his insanity.

Adelaide spotted her leaning heavy on a storage container shrouded by shadows. She moved into the light and the woman's eyes widened at her condition. Grey suit stained with blood and red sand, slightly hunched in an effort to protect what remained of her arm. An actual expression on her face: Pain.

The woman made to speak but Jean's forceful negative head shake and suddenly sharp eyes stopped her. Jean's eyes flickered to the ranting Doctor and Adelaide nodded. The older woman turned to a nearby monitor and activated Action 5.

...

Jean had dazed out of the next few minutes. The world came back into some focus as she heard a cloister bell tolling loudly. She found herself seated behind one of the coral struts in the console room. (How did she get here?)

Sexy's presence was muted due to her pain but she felt a flicker of panic from the ship at her condition. (Sexy was back? How nice.) Jean groaned loudly as she tried to stand up and failed, landing hard on her rear. Jostling her injured arm.

'What?' she heard the Doctor say as the blackness tried to take her. His footsteps on the grated flooring approached her swiftly.

'Oh! oh oh, no no no no! What have I done to you?' he sounded panicked.

It was getting hard to move. (Just want to sleep and make the pain go away.)

Hands touched her shoulders to keep her from slipping to the floor and tried to move her arms. She tightened her left instinctively around her right to protect herself from more pain. The hands began pulling at different parts of her suit to find any holes for the blood to come out of.

'Jean,' he said gently, 'You're covered in alot blood. I need to see where you're bleeding from can you move your arms out of the way?'

She shook her head, 'No arm.' was all she could get out, trying to tell him her arm was hurt.

It was getting hard to think. (Had it always been so dark in the console room?) Sexy surrounded her mind with love in an effort to calm her.

'Shhh, shh, s'okay. Just need to...' he agreed until he noticed her sluggish movement and other alarming symptoms.

'Jean? Can you move?' she gave a pathetic groggy shake of her head, 'Jean, I'm sorry, so sorry, but you're going into shock and you've lost too much blood. I need to get you to the medbay fast!' his panic had returned tenfold.

'No arm.' she mumbled again before she blacked out.

* * *

I've always had the morbid thought that the Doctor's companions never really got physically hurt on their adventures. Psychologically, yes, plenty of that but with all the dangerous situations they get into it's a miracle they only get bruises and scrapes.

Please review and leave your thoughts. I really am interested in what you think of my writing.


	18. Chapter 18

I really enjoyed writing this one.

* * *

Jean slowly opened her eyes to a white ceiling. After a few moments of disorientation her memories returned to her. Mars, Adelaide Brooke, water aliens, explosions, pain, the Doctor's madness and blacking out in the TARDIS. She went to run her hand over her face then remembered she no longer had a right hand.

She stared morosely at her disfigured right arm. It was wrapped tightly in light green bandages and she felt the phantom of her hand. Her amputation had left her with only a little less than half of her forearm intact. She dropped it back to her side with a heavy breath.

Movement next to her caught her attention. The Doctor lay slumped and asleep in a visually uncomfortable chair next to her bed. His face was stressed even in his sleep. She studied him as he slept. Her mental abilities were still alarmingly muted but she sensed enough from him to know he was no longer dangerously consumed in his former insanity.

She turned her head and decided staring at the ceiling was safer than letting her get angry with the Time Lord next to her. She would address him later. Right now she needed to figure out what to do about her arm, the Doctor and her still muted telepathy.

...

She had nodded off for a few hours and when she woke the Doctor checking her over. She opened her eyes and watched him scan her with a small flat object. He started when he noticed her staring at him. He slipped the device into one of his trouser pockets before addressing her.

'You're awake!' he said, cheerfully brittle. 'That's good. Yes, good good good.' he flinched at his own words then slumped forward closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Jean.' he said, his face crumpling in anguish.

Jean stayed silent, intently watching him as she let him speak his mind.

'I left you there. I didnt even think of you until I saw you in the console room covered in blood. I abandoned you in the hostile environment of a foreign planet and if you had not forced yourself to get to the TARDIS you would have died there!' He moved away from her bed and began to pace franticly back and forth.

'I've been walking on a razer's edge, so close to falling off into darkness. Everywhere I go people telling me my "song is ending"...I don't want to die.' he lamented, 'I don't know what- no, wait, I do. I do... I just wanted things to go right for once, make them, force them to go right!' he stopped to calm himself, 'Traveling to all these places and working so hard to save people but they still die. My friends always leave and a little of my soul gets chipped off every time they do. I don't have much to give anymore... I crossed a line I should never have crossed.' he trailed off, his eyes trained on the floor.

He stopped pacing and fell bonelessly into the chair. 'I just didn't care anymore.' he said softly, 'Thought that if I could change it, that... I don't know. I have no idea wh- probably should have been sectioned along time ago.' he glanced at her before his eyes skittered away.

'Why do I still put myself through this Jean? I always come out the loser, hearts broken in the end and this time around I dragged you with me.' he sluggishly motioned to her disfigured arm and then just stared dispondent at the medbay floor.

His words were fragmented and distressed but she understood him. He was always the last one standing. Alone and without support. He had wanted to prove the universe wrong. His madness had twisted him. Spit in the universes eye and show he could do anything. Break to laws of time and come out on top. Time Lord Victorious.

Jean returned her gaze to the white ceiling and didn't awnser. They remained quiet with their thoughts for some time.

...

'I knew something was going to happen.' she said, voice weary. She wasn't going to put the effort into her usual monotone facade. Too tired, too strained physically and emotionally to care.

'I knew the second we stepped out of the TARDIS that something horrid would happen. I saw your eyes question why I said my rank and intent was Observer and Witness. You never got a chance to ask me about it. So, let me tell you.' her voice was gaining strength and becoming quiet but forcefully angry.

'I had a conversation months ago with the TARDIS. In this conversation she warned me with the barest of details that I would be with you when you made a choice, an important decision that would change you.' she turned to glare at the Doctor. His eyes glanced to her before skittering away again.

'Never in my worst nightmares did I ever think I would have to stand as witness to you trying to change a fixed point in time!' her glare intensified.

'You obviously didn't succeed since you're sitting with me and not battling reapers. So, tell me what happened that made you fail in your mad pursuit Doctor.' her tone was scathing. She was not going to coddle this man. He had turned his back on a lifetime's calling in one idiotic moment. She knew exactly what she was going to say to him in the end.

The Doctor's eyes had gotten increasingly wider the more angry Jean got. He couldn't bring himself to look at her very long, because of his shame, but if she wasn't laying in bed injured he would have been terrified by her eyes alone. Her entire being radiated fury and it was directed at him. He shuddered remembering his thoughts on how terrifying her gaze was after the unplanned trip to San Helios.

When he continued to avoid looking at her in fear of her judgenent, she harshly commanded, 'Tell me, Doctor!'

He flinched violently, 'I saved Mia, Yuri and Adelaide by taking them in the TARDIS back to Earth. Adelaide committed suicide to preserve the timelines.' he rushed out.

Jean used her left arm to heft herself into a sitting position and bodily faced the shaken Time Lord.

'Your actions forced a woman to commit suicide.' she said flatly. She cooled down her righteous fury. It was still there but the Doctor didn't need that now.

He nodded and dropped his gaze to the floor, his shame at his own action not allowing him to look at the another consequence of his madness.

'Look at me, Doctor.' she firmly commanded. He raised his eyes and saw Jean's eyes examining him as he nearly trembled before her.

Her eyes pinned him in place with their intensity. Her voice was softer but not forgiving, 'You keep worrying about your song ending but did you ever stop to think about the symphony of your life?'she paused, 'I am not going to lecture you on what you've done. You will be reminded enough just by my presence alone. I just want you to know: I am so, so disappointed with you.'

Her words punched him in the gut harder than his realization of what he'd forced Adelaide Brooke to do. He ached to fix this almost instantly, to regain her approval but knew it would take time and effort.

Since when had he come to value this woman's opinion so much? He felt like a small child in this moment. Like Jean had taken the place of a disappointed parent.

It hurt, he decided. Really hurt to have her opinion of him become so low.

...

Jean dressed herself in the available hospital scrubs after she dismissed the Doctor. He had given her an apologeticly searching look before exiting the medbay. Once he had left, she turned on one of the medbay monitors and ran a search for the best possible hospital to handle her injuries via the TARDIS database.

Sisters of the Infinite Schism would meet her requirements and much more.

She then joined the Doctor and asked him to pilot the TARDIS to her chosen hospital. The flight was not as bumpy as usual, she sent the ship feelings of thankfulness and love, knowing Sexy hadn't wanted to jostle her injured arm. It didn't hurt now but Jean tried not to touch it.

When they arrived the Doctor followed her out of the TARDIS without speaking. Jean thought he looked like a particularly sad lost puppy as she checked herself into the hospital. She was surprised to find a credited account in her name to pay for her stay. The desk clerk refused to give her details on who set the account up, saying it was confidential information.

They led her and the Doctor to a posh private room and set about explaining treatment methods and time required. All the treatments that would allow her full use of her arm again would take months. The Doctor kept quiet, just listening, until she spoke to him after the nuns vacated the room.

'You don't have to stay, Doctor. This is going to take some time no matter the treatment I choose.' she said in her usual monotone.

He deflated, 'Do you not want me here?'

'That's not what I meant and you know it.' she said dryly, 'If you stayed you would guilt yourself into feeling worse. I am very aware of your wanderlust and I insist you continue traveling. Here,' she wrote time/space coordinates sloppily with her left hand on some hospital stationary, 'We'll meet there in the future. Take some time, Doctor. Time to figure yourself out.'

He looked surprised, 'You still want to travel with me even after what I've done too you?'

'You seem to forget, Doctor. I'm not traveling with you. I'm traveling with your TARDIS.' she deadpanned.

He gave a small strained smile at her humor and took the written coordinates before bidding goodbye.

* * *

Next chapter has a few surprises.

Please review and leave your thoughts.


	19. Chapter 19

Jean had given the basics of her injury when she checked into the hospital. The nuns who attended her had given her the bare bones discription of possible treatments but they required very in depth information to organize the best possible treatment. So minutes after the Doctor's departure a young nurse had come to ask her questions.

The young nun who entered her room was humanoid with three vertical facial ridges on her forehead and slightly orange skin. A species Jean hadn't encountered in her travels.

'Greetings, my name is Sister Trewa, I am here to do your evaluation.' she said in a professional tone.

'All information you give us will be confidential. We have one of the best data servers to protect your information. If your preference does not allow the use of data records for whatever reason, we have alternatives avalible. Would you like to request alternatives?' her speech was given as if she had said it many times before.

'Yes, I would like all my medical records to be hard copies and all copies to be given to me once my stay here is completed.' was Jean's monotone reply. Trewa didn't even blink at her tone.

'The Sisters can accommodate your request. Are you ready to begin your evaluation?'

The evaluation consisted of mostly questions pertaining to Jean's medical history, age, profession, home, species, special abilities, how she gained her injuries and so on. She also consented to a full medical scan.

Her arm could be taken care of immediately and painlessly with a personally designed prosthetic. Some training to operate the prosthesis and she'd be good to go. It was her muted telepathy that would take time.

Sister Trees called in a specialist from another part of the hospital to examine her telepathy. He turned out to be a type of telepathic sentient jellyfish. Slightly purple in color, three feet in height not including the two he hovered above the ground. He communicated via a connected datapad held in his feelers. He explained his species had no sex and received no designations but she could refer to him as a male she so wished.

The specialist in "Advanced Telepathic Trauma" theorized, after listening to her story, that this being the first major painfull event she had physically experienced had caused her mind to shut down her telepathic abilities in an effort to concentrate fully on her survival. She just didn't know how to come out of this survival mode yet.

The specialist was going to study her brainwaves and design a method to teach her how to regain her telepathy. He advised her to stay as calm and comfortable to help speed up the process.

...

The prosthetic arm she picked out from the offered models was made of a type of matte gray/black synthetic metal. The metal was designed to allow both data and nerve connection. This meant that her new hand would contain several data chips that could scan objects and convey scientific scans directly to her brain, as well as basic touch.

The palm of the prosthesis was covered in mini-micromesh to offer a firm grip and simulate the sensitive touch provided by the nerves in her original hand. It would be as sensitive, if not more so than before.

She had a choice from a sleek model and a slightly armored model. She chose the armored model in relation to the dangers she faced in her travels. She was a practical person and having her right hand able to stand harder hits and ignore certain types of energy was a plus. It would definitely be a stronger grip. The doctor relayed stories of others with this type of model being able to crush some types of metal and rocks with concentration.

The operation to attach the prosthetic was a few fascinating painless hours. They had opted to keep her conscious but completely numbed her arm during the process. She had been kept awake because although the arm was numb, her brain still registered the connection of the tissues on a special monitor. All in effort to optimize the new prosthesis.

She watched, unaffected by the slight morbidity of seeing the surgery, as they connected the nerves, tendons, muscles and skin to her new arm. Once feeling returned she was a bit put out when she could not move her arm yet. It would take training and therapy over the course of three weeks.

...

The telepathy specialist visited her two weeks into her stay with the results and regimen he designed.

He was aware that she was a level 5 telepath but apparently had not believed her during his first visit. His little datapad somehow conveyed his awe at the complexity of her thoughts. Although still professional his words were tinged with some weird type hero worship. He explained it took him much longer to design her therapy than normal and apologized.

She patiently waited as he gushed and made her feel like a scientific experiment. He had designed a series of tests to take place inside her mind to slowly unravel the traumatic situation she went through. As he continued to speak she gained a sense she was going to be his scientific experiment. Not as an effort to treat her issue but to use her as data collection on level 5 telepaths.

'No.' she interrupted his explanation. 'I have decided to seek treatment for this issue elsewhere.'

'But there is nowhere else.' scrolled across the datapad.

'Nowhere else you are aware of. I thank you for your efforts but must decline.' her words held a distinctly cold undertone.

She didn't know how it was possible but the floating jellyfish managed to look sad as it floated out of her room.

Jean would lodge a complaint with the hospital before she left about the decidedly unprofessional conduct of trying to use her as an experiment without her permission and definitely ask Sexy to delete any data related to her in their servers. It would be there, she knew, even if she had specificly requested it be removed.

...

The next week was spent in physical therapy and meditation. She gained full use of her new hand and an understanding of its capabilities as well as regaining a tiny bit of her telepathy.

She often found herself grabbing objects to scan them with her palm. The scan results fascinated her. The software used for the scans was self learning. Meaning once she linked a certain chemical composition to an object, the software added that object to the "mental results" of a scan. Every time she scanned something similar it would popup as related.

Her meditation took the basics of what the invasive jellyfish had told her would help. She spent hours reviewing what happened on Mars. From the moments before she lost her hand to waking in the TARDIS medbay. She examined everything in detail: hormones, pain, images, emotions. It helped, if only in a small way.

She was fully aware only an objective third party could help her regain her full range of telepathy. She was going to ask Sexy to help when she returned to the ship.

...

On the last day of her stay in the hospital she received an unwelcome visitor.

Herself.

As she was putting on the normal set of clothes the Doctor had dropped off with the desk clerk before his departure, she felt an odd tingle go down her spine. She looked to the door and started in recognition. Her future self was standing in the doorframe with a smile.

They both stared at each other for a few minutes before future-Jean walked into the room and put a single piece of paper on the nightstand next to her bed. Her future self then turned and walked out of the room without a word.

Jean sighed and resigned herself to having to do that in the future. The only reason she would contact her own past was because she remembered herself doing it. Sometimes time travel was weird like that.

Pulling her boots on, she removed the vortex manipulator and attached it to her left arm in preparation of her departure. Then picked up the paper from her nightstand.

Room PRB-113, Melody Pond

It would seem she had someone to visit in the Physical Recuperation Building.

...

Jean had check herself out of the hospital immediately after her future self had visited in an effort to give herself a reason to leave earlier. She did not want to spend more time then was needed to visit this Melody Pond. Jean detested knowing future events, even if she had given herself the information.

She reached room PRB-113 and knocked on the door. Hearing a quiet 'Come in' she entered.

* * *

A conversation with River Song and getting back to the Doctor in the next chapter.

Please review.


	20. Chapter 20

So far of the three full episodes I've done you guys have only seen Jean fully behind the scenes once but that will become the norm soon. There will still be plenty of interaction between Jean and everyone else though! Do not despair! (I am so looking forward to Rory, he never did get enough credit for his bravery and the trials he endured in my opinion.)

Do remember she has a vortex manipulator. You might see her pop into some past episodes a few times. There are also things I have given her that she hasn't had the need to use yet, that will change.

Everything I give to her (or take away) is planned. Let that roll around in your noggins while you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

Jean walked into the hospital room to see a curly haired humanoid female. She appeared tired but physically okay, no visible healing injuries. As she fully entered the room the woman looked at her with surprise.

'Jean! I thought you were leaving with the Doctor?'

'Future me.' Jean responded blandly.

Her words brought the woman up short, 'Oh.'

Jean held up the piece of paper she had given herself, 'I told myself to visit you. I do not know why.'

The woman didn't speak for a few moment, only giving Jean a once over before holding out her hand in greeting, 'Alright then, River Song. Nice to meet you.'

Jean raised an eyebrow at the name which wasn't on the price of paper. She strode forward and shook River's hand, 'I was under the impression your name was Melody Pond.' she didn't release River's hand when the woman's eyes grew large again.

'So that's how...' River started to say.

'No. Do not utter one word of my future actions to me. I loathe knowing my personal future.' she dropped River's hand and moved to sit in a chair across the room.

'I'm sure you've figured out why I sent myself here,' Jean continued, 'So, tell me, without revealing my future, why I am here to see you, Miss Melody Pond.' her eyes fixed onto the woman's face. A trickle of apprehension filtered through Jean's crippled empathy.

River took a deep breath, 'Give me a moment?' she asked meekly.

'God, your eyes are scary no matter your age.' River muttered under her breath.

Once River had gathered herself, she told Jean bits and pieces of her life. Her parents traveled with the Doctor as his companions, the religious order dedicated to killing the Doctor, Madame Kovarian, her being raised by this order as an assassin. The history was extremely bare bones and all facts, which Jean appreciated immensely.

Jean left River Song with a short goodbye and a growing list of species/individuals who were going to find Jean did not play fair when the Doctor and the TARDIS were threatened. These memory proof Silence aliens were definitely going to feel her wrath. Madame Kovarian... the woman would not enjoy what plans were flittering through her imagination. Death would be a relief she would beg for.

...

The meeting place she had given the Doctor three weeks ago was located in 1928 Sugar Land, Texas. The Doctor and Jean had visited the newly built Imperial Sugar Factory during one of their many trips. Besides removing the infestation of sugar addicted alien bugs from the factory, the trip had been fairly peaceful and Jean had enjoyed the small company town's mental "flavor."

Jean landed on her feet with a flash of light and a quiet zap outside of the town's General Merchandise store. She scanned the area for the distinct blue of the TARDIS. Not seeing it and figuring the Doctor's driving had him late again, she sat down in an available rocking chair on the store's porch.

Ignoring the odd looks from the local populous for her clothing she settled in and kept her ears open for the TARDIS' vwoorp vwoorp noise.

Three hours of waiting and one in depth conversation with an old factory worker about the local prison later, she heard the TARDIS across the street. Sexy sent her a happy hello, a mental hug and an odd feeling of change.

The man who stepped out from the TARDIS doors was not the same Doctor who had dropped her off at the hospital. He was the future Doctor she had met in 1560s England. Different clothes, less Victorian more nerdy college professor, but still the Doctor.

He stopped a few steps outside the TARDIS and gave the area a once over and spotted her still sitting in the porch rocking chair. An awkwardly bashful smile appeared on his face as he walked in her direction, then plopped into the rocking chair to her right.

'Blimey, feels like I haven't seen you in forever.' he gushed, 'Hello, its me, I kinda changed since we last saw each other. That's obvious I guess.' he made some flappy hand movements at himself.

Jean felt the need to tease him for his awkward introduction, 'Who are you exactly?' she asked, eyeing up and down.

He blinked and his face fell slightly, 'Uh, I'm the Doctor. New face! New everything really. I- I thought you knew about regeneration? Wait, don't tell me I've landed when we first visited here!' he looked around frantically for his past self and started to move out of his chair.

Jean grabbed his tweed jacket and pulled him back down, 'I know it's you, you idiot. The TARDIS gave it away, if the clothes hadn't. Only you would look like the quirky college professor.' she eyed his neck accessory, 'Is the bow tie nessesary?'

He adjusted his bow tie and primly replied, 'Bow ties are cool.' Jean raised an eyebrow, that seemed to be a reflex. How odd.

At that point he noticed her new hand and his eyes filled with sorrow. He reached for her hand and then thought better of it and asked with his eyes if he could touch her. She nodded and he softly picked up her prosthetic right arm from where it was resting on the rocking chair.

Both remained silent as he caressed the gray/black metal and inspected every it with sad eyes. 'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.' he said, almost sounding like his previous incarnation. 'I spent months after I left you at the hospital agonizing over what I did too you. Took awhile but I finally realized you didn't want my sadness. That's why you sent me away.' he glanced up and she nodded. He put her arm back where it had been.

'I'm glad you came to some sort of resolution with yourself, Doctor.' she said, patting his leg. 'Now tell me just what you got into that led to your regeneration.'

They spent a few hours in the Texas heat discussing what he had been through since they had last seen each other. He told her of the months he spent avoiding the Ood and then finally meeting with them. He told her of the resurrected Master and Rassilon's mad plan to bring the Time Lords back and the even more insane plan of The Final Sanction. He talked of saving Wilfred Mott, Donna's grandfather and his regeneration. He last spoke of little Amelia Pond and the crack in the skin of the world and Prisoner Zero.

'So I thought I would take the old girl for a spin and make sure she's all done recalibrating from my rather violent regeneration and here I am!' he finished with a dramatic hand wave and goofy smile.

'You've had quite the adventure, Doctor.' she replied loconicly. 'Now, the sun is going to set soon and I'd like to get out of this heat. Show me the new TARDIS console room you've been bragging about. I need to know if I should deflate your ego before it crushes you.' she deadpanned.

...

The new TARDIS interior was as lovely as he described and she had forgone any ego deflating comments, just offering him a short nod after he dramatically opened the TARDIS doors. He seemed very pleased to have impressed her.

As he began pulling levers and messing with the odds and ends on the console, Jean dismissed herself from his presence to find her bedroom and have a private chat with the ship.

Sitting on her bed she reached out, with great effort, to Sexy, "Your new look is beautiful."

"Thank you. I know what you want to ask of me and I can not help you."

Surprised with Sexy's decision Jean asked, "Why?"

"You will figure it out yourself." the ships's words conveyed a sense of the very near future.

Jean switched topics, not happy but accepting of the excuse, "You are aware of who I met at the hospital. Why did I really need to meet Melody Pond?"

Jean trusted Sexy to not awnser her question with information on her future actions unless absolutely needed.

"River Song is part of my Thief's past and future. Her timeline is a circular paradox that must run its course. Her timeline is running opposite to my Thief. When you next meet her she will require an ally."

"The poor woman." Jean's mental voice filled with pity, "Her life is a tale of tragedy. Watching all those she knows slowly become strangers."

Sexy hummed sadly in agreement.

Jean changed topics again, "The Silence, the memory proof aliens. Can you tell me how to circumvent their memory wipes? I have plans, as you know, and I need to remember them."

Sexy didn't respond for a few minutes, when she did her mental words were filled with caution, "My Thief will unwittingly provide this to you. He must not know! No one must know!" she relayed urgently.

"I will keep it a secret, old girl. You know I am very good with secrets." she lifted her head to smile at the ceiling.

The rest of their conversation was a jumble of feelings, images and emotions so fast only they understood what was being said. Offering one last tight mental hug and feelings of love for the sentient ship, Jean left her room to return to the Doctor in the console room.

* * *

The Beast Below is next.

Leave a review.


	21. Chapter 21

Just a friendly warning, the episodes will start changing more and more. They will still follow the basics of the plot but Jean's presence in the Doctor's life is having an effect on him. If you haven't noticed my clues about their future (non romantic) relationship, you'll see them more openly soon. She is unwittingly giving him something he has needed for a very, very long time.

* * *

Jean entered the new wimsicle gold console room to see the Doctor standing at the open TARDIS doors staring out into the star filled black of space with a red haired human female.

'I've extended the air shell. We're fine.' he replied to a question Jean had not heard.

Both the Doctor and the human leaned down to inspect something he spotted in the blackness of space.

'Now that's interesting. Twenty ninth century.' he said before turning around and running to the central console. 'Solar flares roast the earth, and the entire human race packs its bags and moves out till the weather improves. Whole nations.' he crows.

Jean watches as the human female is shut out of the ship with some bemusement. This version of the Doctor is exactly as she remembers him from the Elizabethan adventure, easily excited and slightly forgetful.

'Doctor?' the human could be heard through the doors.

The Doctor is still in his lecture mode, 'Migrating to the stars.'

'Doctor?' yells the girl louder.

'Isn't that amazing?'

'Doctor!' finally gaining the Doctor's attention, he runs to the doors and looks at the girl fearfully clinging onto the outside of the TARDIS.

'Well, come on. I've found us a spaceship.' he says excitedly, seeming unaware of the poor human's fear.

Jean watches him pull the human into the TARDIS and decides to enter the room. The Doctor and human female notice her when she reaches the console. The human's eyes widen when she spots Jean leisurely walking to stand by the console.

'I didn't know you had another passenger in here. You never mentioned her!' the female accuses, accent heavy.

The Doctor flails slightly, looking between Jean and the female a few times before awnsering. 'Right, yes. Amelia Pond, may I introduce you to Jean. Jean, Amelia Pond.' he spins around to busy himself with examining console monitor.

Jean observes his avoidance tactic for a moment before returning her attention to the young human female. She says nothing wanting to see how the human reacts to her stare. It's a good test for a potential companion.

Amelia gives her a once over, taking all of her in with a shrewed eye before raising her right hand and holding it out, 'Alright, Amelia Pond, nice to meet you.'

Jean's mind immediately goes to River Song. The name her future self had written down did have the surname of Pond. The awkward introduction is almost exactly the same. (Like mother, like daughter.) Grabbing Amelia's hand she gives it a good shake, blandly saying, 'Jean.'

Her hand scanned Amelia and recorded odd brainwave patterns for a human of the 21st century. She would have to speak to the Doctor about it when she got a chance.

Amelia leans toward Jean, ignoring the unnerving stare she is receiving and asks, 'So, you travel with him?'

Jean raises an eyebrow, the girl's underlying emotion is jealousy. (I wonder how this girl will react...) She turns her head to see the Doctor watching the interaction from the corner of his eye. Deciding he's avoided enough social interaction, she says, 'Doctor, what would you call my species?'

He turns his attention to her and his face skews in confusion at her abrupt change in topic, 'Well, you're unique. Don't think there'll ever be another like you. Not sure what your species would be classified as... maybe: Telepathic Void Creature? Yes, yes, that is a good classification.'

'Void Creature? Does that mean she's an alien?' asks Amelia in confusion, eyebrows high on her forehead.

'Oh, Jean here is from The Void, it's the space between worlds you see. Just appeared on the TARDIS one day, pop! And hasn't left since.'

'Yeah... that didn't awnser my question.' Amelia responded, unimpressed.

'The Void,' said Jean in her monotone, 'Is a place without sensation: No sight, smell, touch, sound, taste. Eternal nothingness.' Jean was going to stop there but decided to tease them both. This version of the Doctor seemed to be easily flustered and awkward. 'The Doctor once described it as what humans refer to as Hell.'

The human took a step away from Jean. 'You have a telepathic alien from Hell in your time machine?!' she asked, slightly panicked.

'Yes.' said the Doctor, not really paying attention. 'No! I mean, no. Did you have to say that, Jean?' he whined while pouting.

'I have told you before, Doctor. Seeing you stumble around gives my life meaning.' she deadpanned.

...

A hurried explanation that yes, Jean was not human. No, she is not from hell and telling Amelia that if Jean really was a demon from hell the TARDIS wouldn't allow her entry, let alone speak with her. Which led into telling the human that the ship was alive. At which point Jean got them back on the topic of the British spaceship.

'This is the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland.' spoke the Doctor as he pulled up an external view of the spaceship, 'All of it, bolted together and floating in the sky. Starship UK. It's Britain, but metal. That's not just a ship, that's an idea. That's a whole country, living and laughing and shopping. Searching the stars for a new home.'

'Can we go out and see?' Amelia excitedly asked.

'Course we can. But first, there's a thing.' he said, pulling a magnifying glass attached to the console to look through. Jean thought he looked ridiculous.

'A thing?'

'An important thing. In fact, Thing One. We are observers only. That's the one rule I've always stuck to in all my travels. I never get involved in the affairs of other peoples or planets.'

Jean observed his statement and wondered why he was setting up this test for the human.

The Doctor switches the monitor to an image of a young girl crying. 'Ooo, that's interesting.'

Jean follows the Doctor as he leaves Amelia speaking to the monitor. He strides over to the crying girl but Jean stops immediately outside the TARDIS doors. She can hear screaming both in her mind and through her ears. Horrible agonizing screams of pain. Jean stumbles slightly and leans on the side of the TARDIS. Sexy telepathically caressed Jean's mind with a apology, she couldn't couldn't/wouldn't lessen the pain and pushed Jean to find the being that was in pain.

Due to her crippled telepathy Jean cwould not reach her mind out to speak but the being had noticed her and reached out to her. The screams in her mind let her feel the being's pain. Jean knew it was not on purpose to make her feel the pain but her mind is rejecting the telepathic communication because of her recent trauma.

Gathering herself together and forcing herself not to reject the connection outright. Jean pushed the being's pain out of her mind and found her perception field had subconsciously activated in an effort to keep herself hidden from the pain. It was an illogical response because the field affected others and not herself, but it was also the first time she's been able to use that facet of her telepathy since Mars.

Her meditation in the Sister's hospital had only served to calm her mind and all her efforts to actively use her telepathy or empathy had failed. She might get snippets of others feelings slipping through but it was as if speaking into a communicator and only hearing blurbs of noise in response.

Bringer herself out of her introspection she caught the Doctor's eyes from across the street. His face was filled with concern, he had seen her own face scruntch in pain before she could return to her blank facade. He looked her right in the eye and pointed to his ear. His eyes asking if she could hear the screams as well. Jean nodded and jerked her head to the opposite end of the street before turning around and leaving the Doctor to his new companion.

She knew he understood she was going to search out where the screams were coming from because he was going to do the same thing.

...

Jean was struggling to accept the contact from the tortured mind. It was a struggle not to outright reject the plea for help. Forcing herself to concentrate on the part of her mind rejecting the communication Jean noticed it was connected to her bodies instinctual responses.

For Jean, this was one of the issues she had encountered before. Because she had spent such a sort time with a physical body, there were parts of the body connected to her mind that she had struggled to learn or understand. She had one of the most developed minds in the universe but her experience was ALL mind and no body.

Instinct was one of these things. The body she inhabited came with a set reaction to certain things. Trauma and pain avoidance being the newest she had experienced but during her earlier travels she had to taught herself how to react to basic responses of fear, hunger, the need for sleep, the list went on.

The best reaction she had found was to partially block the area in her mind until she could meditate and research it in effort to understand. The hard part was finding it in her mind. Jean hadn't realized before Mars that these issues could effect her telepathy and empathy. She would partially block this area of her mind for now. It would restore her abilities, just not to their full working capacity, until she understood why it had effected them in the first place.

The Doctor had been fascinated with the method she had developed. Even he struggled to grasp her process and method because he had always inhabited a physical form.

...

Walking the streets of Starship UK, Jean pushed her telepathy as far as she could. It was like a wind has swept in and removed most of the fog surrounding her. There was still some fog but she now understood Sexy's words about her figuring it out herself. She just needed to be patient, she would regain everything in time.

Jean followed directions from the Star Whale to get to the deepest part of the ship, she listened as it told her its story.

They were a long lived race, spanning millilenia, guiding space travelers, moving from galaxy to galaxy. She listened as it told her of a sickness that spread through its race and left it the only survivor. The many hundreds of years it moved through the universe alone. It had heard the psychic screams from the human younglings and moved toward the Earth to investigate. Then the humans had trapped it and build their metal ship around it, using it for their engine.

There was a deep seated hatred in the Star Whale for what the humans had forced it to become. Their work horse, their slave. A hatred for the past generations as they manipulated their children into keeping it enslaved through trickery, word play and shadow governments. Through all the hatred though it could only love the innocent children. Coming from such a long lived race, children were rare and cherished. The Star Whale could never hurt a child, no matter if they grew up and made the decision to keep it enslaved.

Jean lost track of time listening to the tragic story and found herself led to a very familiar building, the Tower of London. She followed the voice and screams of the Star Whale to a large wooden door.

She couldn't just open the door, she had no idea what type of security it had. So she leaned against the wall beside it and waited for something to happen.

As she waited she conversed with the Star Whale and shared her own story. While it did not understand most of it, the Star Whale appreciated having another telepath to talk too. Her presence took its mind off the pain and loneliness its life had become.

Jean was concentrating so hard on blocking the Star Whale's pain and speaking with it she almost missed when a group of children opened the wood door and carry unidentifiable items from the room beyond down the hall. She slips into the room as the door starts closing.

* * *

The chapter would be longer but I hit some writers block on how to do the next bit. Didn't want to leave you guys hanging so this episode is gonna be two chapters instead of one.

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	22. Chapter 22

Kinda lost my zing to write this but as I hate it when writers just leave a story hanging... Here's a copy of my episode notes. It's obviously not going to be as detailed as full chapters but you'll get to still enjoy the jist of the story and Jean's evolvement.

* * *

The Beast Below:

Jean hears the star whale and goes in search of it alone. It helps her with her telepathy. She calms the Doctor from his attempt to kill the star whale. Amy still hits the button. Jean tells Amy about the star whales emotions, some of which are not friendly at all. Back in the TARDIS, Jean asks the Doctor to drop her off on the Ood Sphere for a chat with the Ood.

* * *

Victory of the Daleks:

Jean is not here for this episode, she is pretty much laying down the law with the Ood. She lectures the Elder Ood on their blatant disregard for the laws of time. Scares the crap out of them because her anger seems very overwhelming to the hive minded species. After the Ood she uses the vortex manipulator and one of the coordinates from the journal page to leave the planet. She ends up on Earth in 2008 in front of an electronics shop with a note in the window addressed to her, to buy DVD recording equipment and another set of coordinates. Those take her to 1969 and she remembers the stories the Doctor told her about this time. She gets the electronics to the Doctor and Martha without them seeing her. She also encounters a few Silents trying to kill the Doctor. Jean kills all but one of them and gives it a warning not to go near this Doctor, he hasn't met the Silence yet and taunts that they should have known that. She leaves via vortex manipulator and ends up in the Delierum Archive slightly before the Doctor and Amy.

* * *

Time of Angels:

After the case to catch the Byzanthium, Jean pointed out they had homing cube and really don't need to push the TARDIS so hard. River annoys her by hinting at her future but Jean shuts her up pretty quick with an angry glare. Jeans eyes creep River out. When introduced to Octavian, River calls Jean a High Priestess and Octavian immediately starts treating her with respect, as do his men. Jean spends the hours before the explosive use silently watching the Clerics and listening to a psychic buzz in the back of her mind. The buzz is slowly gaining strength. She hears Amy's terror when the video angel appears and when the trailer is opened she immediately punches the video screen with her metal hand until it is cracked beyond repair. She notices the second presence in Amy's mind and informs the Doctor. The Doctor acknowledges that but says he can't do anything about it right now, keep a mental eye on Amy.

Once inside the Temple the psychic buzzing gets even louder because of this she doesn't notice the Clerics being killed by the Angel. When they notice the statues are all Angels, Jean tells the Doctor that she thinks she can hear their minds but it sounds like bees buzzing to her. Jean tests her perception field on the Angels and finds out that it works if she gives it more kick. Like her normal use is only 10% power, most lower species can't notice her but the Doctor can. Now it's 50% and everyone including the Doctor and Angels can't notice her. Jean ponders if she will subconsciously start erasing the current memories of herself if she fully concentrates on it. She is not willing to try. While the Doctor, Amy, River and the Clerics flee, Jean gets to witness the Angels actually moving around. Jean drops the field and scares Amy with her sudden appearance so badly she moves her stone hand. It also scares the Doctor for a bit of humor too. The Doctor shoots the gravity globe.

* * *

Flesh & Stone:

Jean pulls high powered glow sticks from her trousers when the lights start going out in the ship. The Doctor isn't sure if Angels can take the energy from chemical reactions. They make it to the secondary flight deck with less panic than the original episode. Amy still starts her countdown. The Angels psychic buzz prevents Jean from distinguishing the Angel in her mind from Amys mind now. When the Angels start laughing Jean shuts them up by sending them a wave of telepathic anger. The Doctor comments that Jean can be utterly terrifying when she wants to be and he is thankful that Jean enjoys his company. Jean stays with the Doctor when the others enter the forest. She gets her first look at the crack. It makes her feel a bit queasy, gives her the impression it shouldn't exist. When the Angels enter the flight deck she activates her perception field and yanks the Doctor from the Angels hold. He still loses his jacket.

When Amy refuses to close her eyes, Jean just forces her to by putting her hand on Amy's face. Jean agrees to stay with Amy because she figures the primary flight deck won't have Angels on it. The future Doctors stress allows Jean to hear a few of his thoughts through the Angels psychic buzz and she figures out he is from the future. She taps her temple when he glances at her and he tightens his mental walls after she hears him thank her for her aversion to knowing the future.

When the Clerics start investigating the crack light she orders them to remain where they are after they forget one Cleric, she is a superior officer with her title of High Priestess, so they comply. As they head for the Doctors location, Jean helps Amy move but the Clerics end up dying as they go. River mentally yells that she's got a teleport but it can only take one person, Jean tells her via the communicator to get Amy she can find her own way to the flight deck. After Amy is teleported Jean uses the perception field to move with the Angels to the flight deck and slips around them as the Doctor gives his gravity speech. She hangs on as the Angels fall and has the morbid thought that the Clerics won't miss their dead men because the bodies would fall into the crack.

As they climb out of the ship the Doctor tells her that the Angels mentioned that Jeans body could have closed the crack with the void energy inside of her. He's going to give her a strong biodampener as a precaution. Jean agrees and asks him if he can install it into her prosthetic hand. He might be able to rig something up. He then gets excited about upgrading the software it holds. (This leads him to accidently giving her a defense against the Silence. He installs an extra memory core connected to the mental interface which will negate their memory wipes on Jean.) She overhears River's goodbye to the Doctor and can tell from River's emotions that she is talking about killing the Doctor. Just before River leaves she mentally tells Jean that she might have killed him but that didn't mean she succeeded. Jean just becomes annoyed with all the spoilers she keeps hearing.

After they goto Amy's house, Jean and Sexy spend some time joking about the situations the Doctor gets himself into. Jean sits in the TARDIS jump seat reading and pretending to ignore Amy flirting with the Doctor, she finds the Doctors flapping about funny. The Doctor's kicked puppy expression finally gets Jean to stop the human girl. She drops the very low perception field and Amy feels embarrassed having been caught propositioning another man before her wedding. The Doctor heads out to get Rory.

* * *

The Vampires of Venice:

While the Doctor is out Jean bluntly asks Amy why she wants to mate with the Doctor. Amy, still embarrassed and angry, avoids answering by saying Jean wouldn't understand she's an emotionless thing (Amy hasn't really seen her express any emotions in so far.) Jean just looks at her until Amy nervously apologizes for rashly lashing out. Jean takes the time to explain that she does have emotions and just chooses to act outwardly as she does. She gives Amy some of her history and even shocks the human speechless with her true age of near 4000 and why she travels in the TARDIS (protecting the Doctor.) While Jean doesn't really like Amy, Amy comes out of the conversation with a greater understanding of Jean and even comments on how oddly maternal some of Jean's actions seem to be with the Doctor. Sexy interjects with her agreement and in the end both Jean and Amy leave the conversation introspective.

The Doctor returns with Rory and they head to Venice. Jean splits from the group after a suggestion from Sexy and wanders the city feeling alien minds in the canals. She finds Francesco's very alien mind in the streets. She follows him to the Caliveirri house and enters unseen behind him. She listens as they plot, then disables the throne without their knowledge. When she witnesses Rory and Amy's bad acting to enter the school Jean figures the Doctor knows of the alien presence in the city. She scares Rosanna by appearing in her private chambers when the Sister of the Water has turned her perception device off to relax. After convincing her Jean isn't a threat, they speak of the cracks and the hardship Rosanna's species is experiencing. Rosanna offers an alliance and Jean says she might consider it if Rosanna doesn't do anything drastic on the planet. Rosanna is skeptical but tells Jean some of her plan. They continue to negotiate until Francesco bursts into the room and tells of Amy's escape and Jean recognizes the Doctors handiwork. Rosanna accuses Jean of treachery but Jean calmly refutes and explains that her traveling companion is a man of action and confrontation in such a way that she calms the fish aliens and convinces them to allow her to speak with the Doctor when he undoubtedly will come to speak with Rosanna.

With the aliens calm for the moment they continue to negotiate a way for them to survive until Jean informs them she can feel the Doctors presence approaching. Rosanna, Francesco and Jean meet with the Doctor in the throne room. He is sitting on the throne and becomes surprised when he sees Jean with the aliens. She feels a flash of betrayal from him before it shifts into realization and then returns to what he originally was feeling when they entered, controlled anger and determination. Rosanna and the Doctor trade a few questions about what each are doing in the city and the Doctor reveals that the other Sisters of the Water are dead. Rosanna turns to Francesco and he states he sent them to punish the escapees. Rosanna is furious at losing the only other females because of this stupid decision.

Jean interjects and asks for the details of how they died, did the Doctor physically see them die? He says no and explains the explosion. Jean turns to Rosanna and asks if she will take her proposed deal to transport her species to their own planet if Jean can save the other females. Rosanna quickly agrees to the deal, all she wants is to save her species from extinction. Jean asks for the exact time, place and how many were in the explosion from the Doctor before pulling out her vortex manipulator and inputting coordinates to slightly before the explosion and activating.

She appears in the house and confuses the aliens and one male human in the room. The male is about to light the explosives. Jean flings her hand forward in desperation and telekinetically knocks the torch out of his hand, away from the barrels. She explains in short sentences they have very little time and all is not lost. Jean allows her desperation to actually show to convince them. Guido does not believe her and makes a grab for the torch. Jean yells for the Sisters to grab onto her and hits the return button as Guido throws the torch into the barrels.

Jean reappears in the throne room with all but one of the Sisters, the one either didn't believe her or was too slow to grab her. The Sisters land hard on the floor, Rosanna and Francesco rush to check on them. Jean stands and says they will recover shortly and apologizes for not getting them all, she only had seconds. Rosanna is preoccupied with making sure they are okay. Francesco tells Jean and the Doctor to give them a few minutes.

The Doctor pulls Jean away from the aliens to question her about what is really going on. First she asks who the male human was and tells him he didn't survive the explosion. She explains that they might be the last of their species and even though their actions in turning the girls into what they are is horrible, it is irreversible. She has been negotiating for hours with Rosanna to make a peaceful deal to relocate them all to another planet. She proceeds to lecture the Doctor on his under handed plan, he should have asked the aliens what was going on. The Doctor defends himself by giving his side of the story: Meeting Guido and about Isabella. Finding the bodies in the lower levels and being chased from the house. Jean is unimpressed and expresses this by pointing out the flaws of his actions again. They agree to disagree on some parts but he does admit he acted without getting enough information.

At this point Amy and Rory run into the throne room looking very determined. They see the Sisters and immediately become confused and ask how they are alive. They then spot Jean and the Doctor and cautiously join them asking what is going on. They get a short Doctor like explanation because Jean had moved across the room to ask if everything with Rosanna was going well. Rosanna says they have recovered and thanks Jean so very much for saving them. Jean accepts with dignity and asks if she will keep her side of the deal. Rosanna says they will and they begin to hammer out the logistics of moving the Brothers of the Water for transport to their new planet. The Doctor joins them having finished explaining to his companion what's going on.

They drop off the Brothers and Sisters of the Water on a new planet. Isabella with them, she had reached a stage in the transformation where it could not be reversed or stopped without her dying. Rosanna left with a promise that the girls would be treated like queens and cherised for the rest of their lives. Jean promised to complete her side of the deal by telling other aquatic species in the same time/galaxy of the new colony on newly named Saturnyne II, so the aliens would receive trade and technology very soon.

Once all was said and done, Amy and Rory received the entire story from Jeans point of view and also received a lecture about responsible decision making while traveling. (Rory still decides to travel with Amy when she asks.) Not all aliens are doing nefarious deeds for singularly "evil" purposes.

Jean is reading in her room when the Doctor comes to speak with her. He awkwardly thanks her for what she did in Venice. After thinking on it he realized he probably would have gotten a lot of people killed with his actions. He admits his actions can become very narrow minded when he attaches himself to a cause he finds justifiable. He is glad she is traveling with him. Jean gives him one of her rare smiles and tells him she is glad to be here. The TARDIS sends them both a warm wave of love, happy that her two favorite people are with her as well.

The Doctor notices her book on human mating habits and they start a discussion on how odd humans can be.

* * *

If you have any questions leave a review, I'll answer them when I post the next section of my notes.


	23. Chapter 23

Here's another section of my episode nanys. I have notes all the way to mid series 6.

* * *

Amy's Choice & Jean's Connection:

Jean gets pulled into the dream but only the TARDIS dream. She realizes right away something is off. She watches as the Doctor, Amy and Rory continue to wake up and fall asleep until the Dream Lord appears. She keeps quiet until they fall asleep again then addresses the Dream Lord as the Doctor. He asks how she knew and she explains that the TARDIS consciousness isn't there, when the Doctor is awake there is an echo of his mind and that her prosthetic hand isn't registering anything when she touches things. He applauds her sarcastically and tries to taunt her. Jean isn't amused but keeps her usual blank face and reactions.

He asks her why she doesn't wake them all up, she has the ability to do so. Jean surprises him by saying she has faith even his darkness would not truly hurt them, he must have a reason for doing this even if the communal dream state was achieved via an outside source. She doesn't tell him that she can communicate with Sexy while asleep and she has told Jean they are physically still in the TARDIS, there is no immediate danger to their bodies or Sexy herself.

The Dream Lord and Jean have a revealing conversation about his motives. Jean enjoys speaking with a part of the Doctor she usually tries to keep him from thinking about too much. Sexy and her spend a great deal of time keeping the Doctor happy and away from his personal demons, having the Dream Lord embody these things gives Jean great insight into the darker parts of her traveling companion. Jean actually reveals this to the Dream Lord and he comments that she seems to be making a habit of shocking him speechless. He grudgingly admits he is thankful she puts so much effort into doing what she does. Tells her that he often feels like he is trying to gain Jeans approval with his actions and when he let's her down it effects him deeply. Admits that he has found himself treating her like a parental figure and it is relieving to have someone like Jean in his life. Someone willing to shoulder the responsibility of what he, they, do everyday and call him on his failings. (My Dream Lord is connected to the Doctors darker impulses and emotions but is also his subconscious thought, so the Doctor hasn't fully formed most of the conversation into clear thoughts yet.)

During that conversation the Doctor, Amy and Rory continue to wake up and fall asleep. The Dream Lord and Jean just pause their conversation when they are awake. Amy keeps glaring at Jean. She can tell the redhead thinks Jean isn't doing anything to help them. Her mental accusations only get worse when Jean doesn't get cold with the rest of them. The Doctor is at first puzzled (He finally doesn't think Jean has betrayed him as his first thought, even if in Venice it only lasted half a second.) then after he figures out who the Dream Lord is, he figures out there are two dreams a few seconds earlier because Jean is unaffected by the cold.

The last part of Jeans conversation with the Dream Lord is them discussing his goal of removing Amy's inappropriate attractions to the Doctor. Jean teases the Dream Lord about choosing such an odd thing to torment them for and he just whines its her fault because they had that debate over human mating practices a week ago. Jean admits that probably did stick around in his head since it gave the Doctor some clarity in Amy's actions after the Byzanthium.

Jean gives the Dream Lord a friendly mental nuzzle before the Doctor blows up the dream TARDIS. The Doctor feels it as well because it is a part of him she is mentally touching and gives Jean an inquiring look. She'll tell him later she says quietly.

After he explains who the Dream Lord really was, the Doctor comments about how lucky they were the pollen didn't latch onto Jean. Rory asks why and the Doctor tells them that Jeans darkness is literal darkness. It would have driven the three of them mad within minutes. The Doctor and Jean leave the console room to give the humans some alone time.

They head to one of the garden rooms when Jean offers to tell him what she did in the dream. She explains to the Doctor how the Dream Lord was connected to his subconscious thoughts and she had a very in depth conversation with him. The Doctor is intrigued but is reluctant to know what they talked about because he does not like acknowledging that part of himself. Jean assures him it actually was enlighting and he deserves to know what he is thinking, because he is thinking it right now, just doesn't know how to process the thoughts. Its those thoughts frustratingly on the tip of your tongue that are so easily lost.

He tentively agrees and Jean gives him permission to see her memories. She believes he should hear it from himself, not a second hand account from her. When he pulls himself out of her mind he just looks at Jean for a few minutes before whispering that he saw Jean as a mother type figure in his life? Jean tells him she is quite flattered he sees her this way and deadpans that she cleans up after him enough she better have the job. He laughs and states that he has grown to enjoy her sense of humor. She asks him about the rest of the conversation and he says that he knew most of it on some level (duh) it was just where Jean fit into his life that was a bit of a revelation to him. He had been quite confused for a while since he wasn't used to having someone he sees as his equal (hinted: or something more) traveling with him that wasn't a companion. It cleared his confusion and he mutters he's been around humans too long. They part with a deeper connection.

Jean runs into Amy on the way to her room and Amy confronts Jean about her seeming inaction in the dream. Amy's mind is shouting that she doesn't trust Jean and she can't really understand Jeans emotionless facade. Amy's words are harsh and unfounded. She accuses Jean of not fighting the Dream Lord and not caring about the outcome. They might have gotten hurt or killed. They did die! Jean doesn't respond until the girl runs out of steam shouting at her. Jeans response is short and blunt. Why should Jean fight the Dream Lord when he was actually the Doctor, the person Jean works so hard to protect. That stops Amy short and Jean leaves with a parting comment about already lecturing Amy about getting both sides of the story before taking action. (Seems to be a running theme with Jean. Then again none of the characters can really understand Jeans actions fully, can they? At least the Doctor has wisened up to just trust her judgement.)

* * *

A Humorous Interlude:

The story so far... from the bow tie's perspective.

* * *

The Hungry Earth & Cold Blood:

Jean is pulled into the Earth with Amy. She is drugged and gets fully dissected by the Silurian scientist. Amy witnesses this and becomes detached from the event (She will actually force herself to forget to protect her psyche.) Jean's void organs intrigue the scientist. He comments into the recorder that he believes the organs are probably a useless evolutionary quirk (He doesn't listen to Jean and Amy's protests) and manages to fully remove one before the alert forces him to leave dissection. (He is not being cruel or sadistic, his scientific curiosity just over rules his common sense. His scanning equipment didn't pick up enough of her alien physiology, besides the extra Iinternal organs, to show she is not human.)

Amy manages to escape and release the other man in the room but she can't touch Jean. Jean's chest and navel are still cut open and her removed organ is laying on a metal table nearby. The man convinces Amy to leave with him to find help after Jean says she can't feel her body anyway. Leave her restrained to the table and go get help.

Jean is in a daze of pain, whatever the Silurian gave her to numb her body is wearing off quickly. She honestly can't believe the scientist left her cut open like this. Black spots are filling her vision and Sexy is panicking in her mind. She sees the horror struck face of the Doctor and an enraged shout right before darkness claims her.

The Doctor instantly knows something is wrong when Amy enters the room with a Silurian gun. Her eyes are haunted and her body is moving in jerky motions. The second she spots the Doctor the gun falls from her fingers and she staggers toward him. He meets her half way and asks if she is alright. She shakes her head no and struggles to respond. The man, Mo, enters and threatens Restac. He is quickly unarmed and Restac orders them restrained. As the guards move to chain them up he hears Amy mumble Jean, oh god, so much blood, he just oh god, and the Doctor tenses so much the guards can't move him toward the post to tie him up. His tone of voice combined with his body language (he let's off an aura of rage) freeze the entire room with instinctual fear. He quietly demands to know where Jean is. The other female, he yells when no one responds. When Malohkeh flinches the Doctor rounds on him and demands he is taken to her.

Restac tries to stop them but one furious glare changes her mind. Seeing the goofy, awkward, floppy haired alien transform into this terrifying fury filled god shocks her so much she decides to maintain distance with her troops. She orders one of them to wake up an elder, Restac might want to destroy the apes but this alien looked like he could destroy their city with hardly any effort, she wanted an elder here to oversee this.

Malohkeh leads them to his laboratory. The Doctor enters to see Jean strapped to the examination table. Her skin extremely pale, chest cut open internal organs in full view. Jeans glazed eyes meet his for a split second before her head falls forward and her visible lungs stop moving. The Doctor releases an enraged (shocked and worried) yell before sprinting to Jean and feeling for a pulse, there isn't one. His body becomes more tense and he rounds on the scientist demanding to know what was done to her. Malohkeh is so scared he just shakily points to the organ on the metal table.

The void organ on the table makes the Doctor pale slightly. When he first did medical scans on Jean they didn't know what they were for. Morbidly: a dissection like this shouldn't have killed her, she was made of tougher stuff. It seemed that she required the two void organs to live. He could still save Jean. If he got her to one of the trauma pods in the TARDIS he could activate a localized field on her body and the removed organ to give him enough time to deal with this mess and create a surgery to put Jean back together.

His panicked thoughts are interrupted by the enterance of another Silurian, this one in regal robes. The Silurian stops and stares at Jeans body for a moment before rounding on Malohkeh. He starts berrating him for his actions but the Doctor interrupts and demands that he be able to take Jeans body to his ship. He is given permission and he takes Jeans body and medically sealed organ to a trauma pod. He can feel how panicked the TARDIS is and apologizes for letting Jean get into a situation like this. The TARDIS just gives him a mental smack on the head and pushes him to fix the situation faster so he can fix Jean.

The elder Silurian is horrified by what Malohkeh did (the scientist had been given permission to do tests on humans, including dissection, but he was strictly told nothing that would lead to perminate disability or death.) and agrees to release all the humans for Alaya. Alaya is stilled killed by Ambrose and Restac attacks the humans. They flee and the elder apologizes for their actions, he promises Malohkeh will be severely punished. He activates the toxic fumigation. Rory gets shot saving the Doctor from a vengeful Restac and gets erased from history. Amy loses memory of Rory as well as most of this adventure. The Doctor feels absolutely dreadful and leaves to check on Jean.

* * *

Vincent and the Doctor:

The Doctor creates a procedure and successfully puts the void organ back into Jean without complications. She will have a large scar down her front. He wasn't sure if the reintegration of the organ would react with other medications. He takes Amy on adventures to try and cheer her up but also himself. He is drowning in guilt. The TARDIS trys to tell him via emotions it is not his fault.

Jean is in a coma.

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The Lodger:

Jean comes out of her coma because of Sexys distress and the turbulence in the vortex. She wakes up weak with a huge headache. She's so irritable she doesn't even try to put on her facade. Amy is surprised to see her and tells her she's been in a coma for weeks. Jean helps her pilot the TARDIS and surprises the Doctor when she speaks to him over the comm. He is very relieved and tells her to take it easy until he can check her fully.

She returns to the medbay after the turbulence is sorted out and passes out from exhaustion. Later, she and the Doctor have a conversation about what happened and she uses her usual bland deadpan to get him out of his guilt trip. They decide to run more intensive tests on her unique physiology and discover some interesting things.

(From a humans perspective, because writing alien science technicalities would bore me to death. The Doctor also admits to comparing her to much to a human because her internal structure is so similar.)

The two void organs: Are nessesary for her health. One produces/absorbs Void Stuff and the other fused it into her body. The void stuff is like a second digestive system and immune system for Jean. It gives her nutrients and keeps her body healthy/without sickness. The Doctor postulates that when the one was removed that it caused her body to go into an advanced type of shock which shut down her other organs (example: removing one lung without being on extra oxygen for the difference in intake.) When she was in the void they kept her body alive because the void being entirely void stuff allowed the two organs to work so efficiently her physical body could go without food. (She only needed two meals and ten hours of sleep a week to sustain her body. Although she ate more and slept more for the experiences. Jean loved new foods and dreaming.)

The organs were still connected to the void. Void stuff was not naturally occurring in this universe and although Jean could produce a tiny amount inside her body, the scanners showed a much larger concentration than she made. The Doctor discovered an anomaly which created a tether between Jean and the void. The organs used this tether to pull void stuff to her. Not a lot but enough to show up on primitive scanners if she wasn't wearing her custom biodampener.

They accidently discovered that Jean had somehow mentally hacked her prosthetic hand's software and upgraded it to sync better with her thought pattern. Apparently her subconscious didn't like how slow it was.

(Probably add a few minor things later..)

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Have any questions? Leave a review and I'll respond.


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